Amphiporida

{{Short description|Extinct order of sponges}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|Ludlow|Famennian|earliest=Wenlock}}Possible records from the Wenlock epoch

| parent_authority = Rukhin, 1938

| taxon = Amphiporaidae

| authority = Rukhin, 1938

}}

Amphiporida is an extinct order of stromatoporoid sponges which lived from the mid-late Silurian (Wenlock or Ludlow epochs) to the Late Devonian (Famennian stage). Most amphiporids can be easily distinguished by their dendroid (bush-shaped) form, resembling a thicket of thin branches. Each 'branch' has an external frame-like 'sheath' surrounding the internal structure. Pillars (rods diverging up and away from the axis of growth) and isolated longitudinal canals are typical internal components, though the overall texture is more irregular than in other stromatoporoids. Laminae (flat layers) or cyst plates (convex layers) perpendicular to the axis of growth may also develop in some species.{{Cite journal |last=Stearn |first=Colin W. |last2=Webby |first2=Barry D. |last3=Nestor |first3=Heldur |last4=Stock |first4=Carl W. |date=1999 |title=Revised classification and terminology of Palaeozoic stromatoporoids |url=https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app44/app44-001.pdf |journal=Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |volume=44 |issue=1 |pages=1–70}}{{Cite book |last=Stearn |first=Colin W. |url=https://journals.ku.edu/InvertebratePaleo/issue/view/538 |title=Part E, Porifera (Revised). Volumes 4 & 5 |last2= |first2= |publisher=Geological Society of America; University of Kansas |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-9903621-2-8 |editor-last=Selden |editor-first=Paul A. |edition= |series=Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology |volume= |location=Boulder, Colorado; Lawrence, Kansas |pages=781–836 |chapter=Chapter 12 (part): Stromatoporida, Syringostromatida, Amphiporida, and genera with uncertain affinities: Systematic Descriptions |display-authors= |chapter-url=https://journals.ku.edu/InvertebratePaleo/article/view/5763/5232}}

Amphiporida is an order with low diversity, and most species were restricted to waters corresponding to modern Asia.{{Cite book |last=Stock |first=Carl W. |url=https://journals.ku.edu/InvertebratePaleo/issue/view/538 |title=Part E, Porifera (Revised). Volumes 4 & 5 |last2=Nestor |first2=Heldur |last3=Webby |first3=B.D. |publisher=Geological Society of America; University of Kansas |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-9903621-2-8 |editor-last=Selden |editor-first=Paul A. |edition= |series=Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology |volume= |location=Boulder, Colorado; Lawrence, Kansas |pages=653–689 |chapter=Chapter 10 (part): Paleobiogeography of the Paleozoic Stromatoporoidea |display-authors= |chapter-url=https://journals.ku.edu/InvertebratePaleo/article/view/5761/5230}} Nevertheless, some species of Amphipora managed to become widespread and abundant reef-builders during the Frasnian stage of the Late Devonian.{{Cite journal |last=Cockbain |first=A.E. |date=1984 |title=Stromatoporoids from the Devonian reef complexes, Canning Basin, Western Australia |url=https://library.dbca.wa.gov.au/static/Journals/080326/080326-129.pdf |journal=Geological Survey of Western Australia Bulletin |volume=129 |pages=1–108}}{{Cite journal |last=Kershaw |first=Stephen |last2=Brunton |first2=Frank R |date=1999 |title=Palaeozoic stromatoporoid taphonomy: ecologic and environmental significance |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0031-0182(98)00209-0 |journal=Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology |volume=149 |issue=1-4 |pages=313–328 |doi=10.1016/s0031-0182(98)00209-0 |issn=0031-0182|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite book |last=Stearn |first=Colin W. |url=https://journals.ku.edu/InvertebratePaleo/issue/view/538 |title=Part E, Porifera (Revised). Volumes 4 & 5 |last2= |first2= |publisher=Geological Society of America; University of Kansas |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-9903621-2-8 |editor-last=Selden |editor-first=Paul A. |edition= |series=Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology |volume= |location=Boulder, Colorado; Lawrence, Kansas |pages=593–597 |chapter=Chapter 9 (part): Diversity Trends of the Paleozoic Stromatoporoidea |display-authors= |chapter-url=https://journals.ku.edu/InvertebratePaleo/article/view/5760/5229}}{{Cite book |last=Kershaw |first=Stephen |url=https://journals.ku.edu/InvertebratePaleo/issue/view/538 |title=Part E, Porifera (Revised). Volumes 4 & 5 |last2= |first2= |publisher=Geological Society of America; University of Kansas |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-9903621-2-8 |editor-last=Selden |editor-first=Paul A. |edition= |series=Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology |volume= |location=Boulder, Colorado; Lawrence, Kansas |pages=631–651 |chapter=Chapter 10 (part): Paleoecology of the Paleozoic Stromatoporoidea |display-authors= |chapter-url=https://journals.ku.edu/InvertebratePaleo/article/view/5761/5230}} The order contains a single family, Amphiporaidae. The family was previously spelled "Amphiporidae", but this was emended by the ICZN in 2013 to prevent confusion with a family of ribbon worms.{{Cite journal |last=Özdikmen |first=Hüseyin |last2=Demir |first2=Hakan |date=2011 |title=Case 3540 amphiporidae Rukhin, 1938 (Porifera, Stromatoporata, Amphiporida): proposed emendation to amphiporaidae to remove homonymy with amphiporidae McIntosh, 1873 (Nemertea, Hoplonemertea) |url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.21805/bzn.v68i3.a7 |journal=The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature |language=en |volume=68 |issue=3 |pages=167–169 |doi=10.21805/bzn.v68i3.a7 |issn=0007-5167|url-access=subscription }}{{Cite journal |date=2013 |title=Opinion 2317 (Case 3540) amphiporidae Rukhin, 1938 (Porifera, Stromatoporata, Amphiporida): emended to amphiporaidae to remove homonymy with amphiporidae McIntosh, 1874 (Nemertea, Hoplonemertea) |url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.21805/bzn.v70i2.a1 |journal=The Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature |language=en |volume=70 |issue=2 |pages=122–124 |doi=10.21805/bzn.v70i2.a1 |issn=0007-5167|url-access=subscription }}