Figure 1 - Stolleya ornatissima, (rk1135)
hemisperical fragment with radiating needles.
Alemannia, Höver, senonensis Zone

Figure 2 - Stolleya ornatissima, (rk1135)
side view of aligned dichotriaenes (some broken).
Alemannia, Höver, senonensis Zone

Figure 3 - Stolleya ornatissima, (rk1135)
aligned dichotriaenes and oxeas.
Alemannia, Höver, senonensis Zone

Figure 4 - Stolleya ornatissima, (rk1135)
Detailed view of the cladomes of dichotriaene scleres.
Alemannia, Höver, senonensis Zone

Figure 5 - Stolleya ornatissima, (rk1135)
Immature (plagio)triaenes, partially with lacking bifurcation of clads.
Alemannia, Höver, senonensis Zone

Figure 6 - Stolleya ornatissima, (rk1135)
isolated dichotriaenes and oxeas.
Alemannia, Höver, senonensis Zone

Synonyms:

none

Occurence:

Höver, Lower Campanian (senonensis zone). Very rare.

Misburg, Upper Campanian. Very rare.

Oberg, Lower Campanian. Very rare.

Stolleya ornatissima was described by Schrammen (1899) as a new species from the Lower Campanian of Oberg. Schrammen (1912) distinguished two further Stolleya species (S. microtulipa and S. florida) on the basis of subtle differences of their dichotriaenes.

Stolleya ornatissima occurs in spherical to irregular lumpy shapes, with diameters typically in the range of 40 to 80 mm. Distinct canal systems seem to be lacking. In the quarry, specimens are very inconspicuos and are only discovered when broken, showing their radial fibre structure. See Figure 1.

Etched specimens (Figures 2, 3 and 4) reveal the radial structure imparted to the sponge by numerous densely packed, subparallel oxeas and dichotriaenes. Triaenes and oxeas are the only sclere types observed (Figure 6). Both types may reach and probably exeed 7 mm in length.

Figure 7 - Stolleya ornatissima, drawing of scleres,
reproduced from Schrammen 1912 (Texttafel I, number 1)

Figure 7 shows drawings of scleres of Stolleya ornatissima, as published by Schrammen (1912), which match very well with the above pictured examples. (The designation "Orthodichotriene" in Schrammen's (1912) text is probably a misnomer.)

Figure 1 - Stolleya florida, (rk1139)
etched fragment with radiating needles.
Misburg, basiplana Zone

Figure 2 - Stolleya florida, (rk1139)
side view of aligned dichotriaenes (some broken).
Misburg, basiplana Zone

Figure 3 - Stolleya florida, (rk1139)
isolated dichotriaenes and oxeas.
Misburg, basiplana Zone

Synonyms:

none

Occurence:

Misburg, Upper Campanian. Very rare.

Oberg, Lower Campanian. Very rare.

Stolleya florida was described by Schrammen (1912) as a new species from the Lower Campanian of Oberg. Here it is also reported from the basiplana Zone (Upper Campanian) of Misburg.

Schrammen (1912) distinguished the species from (S. microtulipa and S. ornatissima) on the basis of morphological variations of the dichotriaenes, those of Stolleya florida showing characteristic swellings near the upper end of the rhabdomes.

Macroscopically, Stolleya florida is very similar to Stolleya ornatissima, but the radiating dichotrianes and oxeas apper to be less densely packed. See Figures 1 and 2. Also, oxeas are less abundant than in Stolleya ornatissima.

Figure 3 shows a selection of isolated dichotriaenes and oxeas. The oxeas are fusiform and generally straight, but may also be curved or sinuous. The scleres of the specimen studied attain lengths up to 12 mm. (See Figure 3)

The triaenes are plagiotriaenes, mostly with bifurcated clads forming dichotriaenes.

Figure 4 - Stolleya florida, drawing of scleres,
reproduced from Schrammen 1912 (Texttafel I, number 3)

Figure 4 shows drawings of scleres of Stolleya florida, as published by Schrammen (1912), which match very well with the above pictured examples.