Batofasciculus
Extinct genus of comb jellies
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Batofasciculus is an extinct genus of scleroctenophoran comb jellies (members of the phylum Ctenophora). It lived during the early Cambrian period as a member of the Chengjiang biota. This genus currently only contains one species, Batofasciculus ramificans, making it monotypic.[1][2]
| Batofasciculus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| Fossil of Batofasciculus ramificans from the Chengjiang Fossil Site World Natural Heritage Museum. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Ctenophora |
| Class: | †Scleroctenophora |
| Genus: | †Batofasciculus Hou et al., 1999 |
| Species: | †B. ramificans |
| Binomial name | |
| †Batofasciculus ramificans Hou et al., 1999 | |
Taxonomy
When this genus was originally described by Hou et al. 1999, it was classified with an uncertain phylogenetic placement. However it was tentatively classed as a ctenophore due to features such as an aboral dome-like structure and its eight lobes. New fossil material of Batofasciculus was able to assert this genus ctenophoran affinity by revealing a statolith in the apical organ and an oral region.[1]
Phylogenetic analysis of this genus has shown that it is a member of the class Scleroctenophora. This places it as a close relative of Trigoides and Gemmactena.[1][2]
