Eospirifer radiatus Brachiopod from Gotland, Sweden

Back in 2011, I wrote about a fossil I'd found in Indiana called Eospirifer radiatus. Last year I received a package from my friend Christian that had some brachiopods from Gotland, Sweden and included with them was a Eospirifer radiatus. This is a very good specimen compared to the one I found in Indiana but the same general features can be seen.

Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

The very fine detail of the ribbing and costae (the wavy folds) are preserved nicely. If the costae were more strongly expressed and continued farther across the shell towards the hinge line the fossil would then be called Eospirifer eudora as in this specimen from England or this one from Indiana.

A couple of detail shots of the attached Spirorbis and bryozoan epibonts.

The specimen comes from the Mulde limestones exposed on the island of Gotland in Sweden. The Mulde beds are Silurian in age (Wenlock stage).