Brachiopoda

Mickwitzia monilifera, from here.

Belongs within: Brachiozoa.
Contains: Linguliformea, Craniiformea, Rhynchonelliformea.

The Brachiopoda are a phylum of animals superficially similar to bivalve molluscs, but with a very different anatomical structure. The valves of the shell are dorsal and ventral in position, with the ventral larger than the dorsal, with a posterior opening between the valves through with emerges the fleshy pedicle in most species (members of the Craniiformea lack a pedicle). The shell contains a large mantle cavity, which is occupied by a feathery feeding structure, the lophophore. Brachiopods were ecologically predominant during the Palaeozoic, but are a relatively minor part of the recent fauna (Prothero 1998).

The Lower Cambrian Mickwitzia possessed an oval to subcircular, ventri-biconvex shell with an elevated submarginal or posteriorly recurved apex on the pedicle valve, and a low submarginal apex on the brachial valve (Rowell 1965). This genus has been identified as a stem-group brachiopod, retaining setigerous tubes passing through the pseudointerarea in the rear of the pedicle valve similar to those found in the tommotiids, a group of likely fossil brachiopod relatives. Such setigerous tubes have been lost in the crown group (Williams & Homer 2002). Brachiopods are also represented in the Lower Cambrian by the genus Salanygolina which shares some features with members of the crown subgroup Rhynchonelliformea (Erwin et al. 2011). Living brachiopods are divided between the Linguliformea and Calciata, with the latter characterised by calcareous shells in contrast to the phosphatic shells of the former (Holmer et al. 1995).

Ptychopeltis incola is an arched, saddle-shaped shell from the Middle Ordovician, originally described as a monoplacophoran mollusc but since re-interpreted as a brachiopod (Rowell 1965).

See also: Taxon of the Week: The lamp (shell) post.

Brachiopoda (see below for synonymy)
    |--Mickwitzia Schmidt 1888 WH02, R65 [incl. Causea Wiman 1902 R65]
    |    |--*M. monilifera (Linnarsson 1869) [=Lingula monilifera] R65
    |    `--‘*Causea’ formosa Wiman 1902 R65
    |--Salanygolina EL11
    `--+--Linguliformea WH02
       `--Calciata HP95
            |--Craniiformea WH02
            `--Rhynchonelliformea WH02

Brachiopoda incertae sedis:
  Araratella WM03
  Spinocarinifera arcuata CSZ03
  Echinoconchella elegans CSZ03
  Latiproductus latissima CSZ03
  *Bruntonites mellingeni CSZ03
  Loriolithyris russillensis BO02
  Malurostrophia TC71
  Parachonetes macrostriatus TC71
  Altaethyrella Severgina 1978 RZJ04
  Ovalospira Fu 1982 RZJ04
  Pectenospira Popov, Nikitin & Sokiran 1999 RZJ04
  Jonesea grayi MM02
  Tecnocyrtina missouriensis P98
  Muhuathyris circularis Sun, Ma et al. 2004 SB04
  Aucklandrhynchia E01
    |--A. lavis E01
    `--A. opuatiaensis E01
  Pleuropugnoides panderi ZP86
  Vitiliproductus groberi ZP86
  Rhombospirifer zhesiensis Duan & Li in Ding, Xia et al. 1984 DX84
  Gypospirifer volatilis Duan & Li in Ding, Xia et al. 1984 DX84
  Kwangsirhynchus luwuensis XY86
  Hoskingia nobilis F71
  Sulciplica F71
    |--S. tasmaniensis (Morris in Strzelecki 1845) [=Spirifer tasmaniensis] F71
    `--S. transversa [incl. Spirifer vespertilio Morris in Strzelecki 1845] F71
  Harttites Howell & Knight 1936 [=Harttia Walcott 1884 non Steindachner 1877] F62
    `--*H. matthewi (Walcott 1884) [=*Harttia matthewi] F62
  Cariorhynchus tumida Hou79
  Spinacytia ostiolatus Hou79
  Eurekaspirifer pinyonensis N79
  Cortezorthis N79
    |--C. bathurstensis N79
    `--C. cortezensis N79
  Carinapyga loweryi N79
  Toquimaella kayi N79
  Septoliphoria astieriana Hol79
  Linguella viridens L95
  Camarophora globulina Phillips 1834 W77
  Amblotrema Rafinesque 1831 [=Amblytrema Agassiz 1847] M65
  Arctitreta Whitfield 1908 M65
    `--*A. pearyi Whitfield 1908 M65
  Biarea Torbakova 1959 M65
  Brachiopus Rafinesque 1831 M65
  Branconia Gagel 1890 M65
    `--*B. borussica Gagel 1890 M65
  Bufocephalus Linné 1779 M65
  Bursula Herrmannsen 1846 M65
  Comelicania Frech 1901 M65
    `--*C. megalotis (Stache 1878) [=Athyris megalotis] M65
  Cornwallia Wilson 1932 M65
    `--*C. minuta Wilson 1932 M65
  Diclipsites Rafinesque 1831 M65
  Diclisma Rafinesque 1820 M65
  Didymospira Salomon 1895 M65
  Diphyites Herrmannsen 1846 [=Diphytes Schröter 1779 (non-binomial)] M65
  Dirinus M’Coy 1844 M65
    `--*D. bucklandi M’Coy 1844 M65
  Euorthisina Havlíček 1950 M65
  Gamdaella Miloradovich 1947 M65
  Gasconsia Northrop 1939 M65
    `--*G. schucherti Northrop 1939 M65
  Gaspesia Clarke 1907 M65
    `--*G. aurelia (Billings 1874) [=Orthis aurelia] M65
  Goniclis Rafinesque 1818 M65
  Hemisterias Rafinesque 1832 M65
  Ivanovia Ivanova 1949 non Khvorova 1946 (ICBN) M65
  Lampas Humphrey 1797 [=Lampus (l. c.)] M65
  Liocoelia Schuchert & Cooper 1931 M65
    `--*L. proxima (Barrande 1879) [=Pentamerus proximus] M65
  Martinigisis Lebedev 1926 M65
  Megarites Rafinesque 1820 M65
  Mesotreta Kutorga 1848 M65
    `--*M. tentorium (Kutorga 1848) [=Siphonotreta tentorium] M65
  Neogypidula Likharev 1934 M65
  Peridiolithus Hupsch 1768 M65
  Platilites Rafinesque 1820 M65
  Pleuranisis Rafinesque 1820 M65
  Plicoprothyris Dahmer 1940 M65
  Pomatospirella Bittner 1892 M65
    `--*P. thecidium (Bittner 1892) [=Spirigera (*Pomatospirella) thecidium] M65
  Reflexa Rotai 1931 M65
    `--*R. reflexa Rotai 1931 M65
  ‘Rhynchoferella’ Spriestersbach 1942 non Strand 1915 M65
  Rictia de Gregorio 1930 M65
    `--*R. simplex de Gregorio 1930 M65
  Spondylobolus M’Coy 1851 [=Spondilobolus (l. c.), Spondylobus (l. c.)] M65
    `--*S. craniolaris M’Coy 1851 M65
  Swantonia Walcott 1905 M65
    `--*S. antiquata (Billings 1861) [=Camerella antiquata] M65
  Syntrophoides Schuchert & Cooper 1931 M65
    `--*S. harlanensis (Walcott 1905) [=Billingsella harlanensis] M65
  Telistrophis Rafinesque 1832 M65
  Thecospirella Bittner 1900 M65
    `--*T. loczyi Bittner 1900 M65
  Venezuelia Weisbord 1926 M65
  Virbium deGregorio 1930 M65
  Ptychopeltis Perner 1903 [Ptychopeltidae] R65
    `--*P. incola Perner 1903 R65
  Zhanatella utahensis LM05
  Quadrisonia lavadamensis LM05
  Eurytreta sublata LM05

Brachiopoda [Brachionacephala, Brachionopoda, Ecardines, Gastrocaulia, Inarticulata, Lyopomata, Palliobraches, Palliobrachiata, Pleuropygia, Spirobrachiophora, Spirobranchia, Tretenterata]

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BO02] Barale, G., & M. Ouaja. 2002. La biodiversité végétale des gisements d’âge Jurassique supérieur-Crétacé inférieur de Merbah El Asfer (Sud-Tunisien). Cretaceous Research 23: 707–737.

[CSZ03] Chen, Z.-Q., G. R. Shi & L.-P. Zhan. 2003. Early Carboniferous athyridid brachiopods from the Qaidam Basin, northwest China. Journal of Paleontology 77: 844–862.

[DX84] Ding Y., Xia G., Duan C., Li W., Liu X. & Liang Z. 1984. Study on the early Permian stratigraphy and fauna in Zhesi district, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu (Inner Mongolia). Bulletin Tianjin Institure Geol. Min. Res. 10.

[E01] Eagle, M. K. 2001. A new species of Cottreauaster (Asteroidea: Echinodermata) from the Middle Jurassic of New Zealand. Records of the Auckland Museum 37: 93–100.

[EL11] Erwin, D. H., M. Laflamme, S. M. Tweedt, E. A. Sperling, D. Pisani & K. J. Peterson. 2011. The Cambrian conundrum: early divergence and later ecological success in the early history of animals. Science 334: 1091–1097.

[F62] Fisher, D. W. 1962. Small conoidal shells of uncertain affinities. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt W. Miscellanea: Conodonts, Conoidal Shells of Uncertain Affinities, Worms, Trace Fossils and Problematica pp. W98–W143. Geological Society of America, and University of Kansas Press.

[F71] Fletcher, H. O. 1971. Catalogue of type specimens of fossils in the Australian Museum, Sydney. Australian Museum Memoir 13: 1–167.

[Hol79] Hölder, H. 1979. Jurassic. In: Robison, R. A., & C. Teichert (eds) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt A. Introduction. Fossilisation (Taphonomy), Biogeography and Biostratigraphy pp. A390–A417. The Geological Society of America, Inc.: Boulder (Colorado), and The University of Kansas: Lawrence (Kansas).

[HP95] Holmer, L. E., L. E. Popov, M. G. Bassett & J. Laurie. 1995. Phylogenetic analysis and ordinal classification of the Brachiopoda. Palaeontology 38: 713–741.

[Hou79] House, M. R. 1979. Devonian in the Eastern Hemisphere. In: Robison, R. A., & C. Teichert (eds) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt A. Introduction. Fossilisation (Taphonomy), Biogeography and Biostratigraphy pp. A183–A217. The Geological Society of America, Inc.: Boulder (Colorado), and The University of Kansas: Lawrence (Kansas).

[L95] Landing, E. 1995. Upper Placentian–Branchian series of mainland Nova Scotia (middle–upper Lower Cambrian): faunas, paleoenvironments, and stratigraphic revision. Journal of Paleontology 69 (3): 475–495.

[LM05] Lehnert, O., J. F. Miller, S. A. Leslie, J. E. Repetski & R. L. Ethington. 2005. Cambro-Ordovician sea-level fluctuations and sequence boundaries: the missing record and the evolution of new taxa. Special Papers in Palaeontology 73: 117–134.

[M65] Moore, R. C. (ed.) 1965. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt H. Brachiopoda vol. 2. The Geological Society of America, Inc.: Boulder (Colorado), and The University of Kansas Press: Lawrence (Kansas).

[MM02] Musteikis, P., & T. L. Modzalevskaya. 2002. Some Silurian brachiopods from Lithuania and their palaeobiogeographical significance. Palaeontology 45 (3): 595–626.

[N79] Norris, A. W. 1979. Devonian in the Western Hemisphere. In: Robison, R. A., & C. Teichert (eds) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt A. Introduction. Fossilisation (Taphonomy), Biogeography and Biostratigraphy pp. A218–A253. The Geological Society of America, Inc.: Boulder (Colorado), and The University of Kansas: Lawrence (Kansas).

[P98] Prothero, D. R. 1998. Bringing Fossils to Life: An introduction to paleobiology. WCB McGraw-Hill: Boston.

[RZJ04] Rong, J.-Y., R.-B. Zhan & J. Jin. 2004. The Late Odovician and Early Silurian pentameride brachiopod Holorhynchus Kiaer, 1902 from north China. Journal of Paleontology 78 (2): 287–299.

[R65] Rowell, A. J. 1965. Inarticulata. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt H. Brachiopoda vol. 1 pp. H260–H296. The Geological Society of America, Inc.: Boulder (Colorado), and The University of Kansas Press: Lawrence (Kansas).

[SB04] Sun, Y., A. Baliński, X. Ma & Y. Zhang. 2004. New bizarre micro-spiriferid brachiopod from the Early Carboniferous of China. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 49 (2): 267–274.

[TC71] Thomson, K. S., & K. S. W. Campbell. 1971. The structure and relationships of the primitive Devonian lungfish—Dipnorhynchus sussmilchi (Etheridge). Yale University Peabody Museum of Natural History Bulletin 38: 1–109.

[WM03] Webster, G. D., C. G. Maples, R. Mawson & M. Dastanpour. 2003. A cladid-dominated Early Mississippian crinoid and conodont fauna from Kerman Province, Iran and revision of the glossocrinids and rhenocrinids. Journal of Paleontology 77 (Suppl. 3): 1–35.

[W77] White, C. A. 1877. Report upon the invertebrate fossils collected in portions of Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, by parties of the expeditions of 1871, 1872, 1873, and 1874. U.S. Geographical Surveys West of the One Hundredth Meridian 4 (1): 1–219, pls 1–21.

[WH02] Williams, A., & L. E. Holmer. 2002. Shell structure and inferred growth, functions and affinities of the sclerites of the problematic Micrina. Palaeontology 45 (5): 845–873.

[XY86] Xu H.-K. & Yao Z.-G. 1986. The Lower Devonian and its brachiopods from Lingshan, Guangxi. Acta Palaeontologica Sinica 25 (2): 169–179.

[ZP86] Zhang, R., & J. Pojeta Jr. 1986. New bivalves from the Datang Stage, Lower Carboniferous, Guangdong Province, China. Journal of Paleontology 60 (3): 669–679.