Anazyga recurvirostra plate from the Verulam

Below is a plate that is packed with Anazyga recurviostra brachiopods. I found it at a quarry in the Verulam formation up in Canada. I like that the piece has so many individual brachiopods that are in good shape and well exposed. The fact that they are all intact tells me they were probably swept together during a storm event. The only other fossil included in the mass of brachiopods is a small trilobite pygidium piece, possibly from a small Isotelus.

Detail of the pygidium and brachiopods. Note that the brachiopods are facing in random directions. This is another indication of a storm event. Had they been grouped together by a current many of the shells would be oriented in the same direction.

Thanks to my friend Kevin for the correction that the brachiopods were Anazyga and not Zygospira as well as the Isotelus ID. The Verulam formation is middle Ordovician in age (Katian/Mohawkian stage).