Mesopholidostrophia semicircularis brachiopod from Eifel, Germany

The nacerous shell of Mesopholidostrophia semicircularis is typical of the genera. It can be seen in it's N. America cousins, Pholidostrophia nacera, which are common in the Givetian stage of the middle Devonian. The specimen of M. semicircularis shown below comes from the Eifelian stage (Devonian) of the Junkerberg formation near Gondelsheim, Eifel region, Germany.

Specimen #1
Pedicle valve

Anterior

Brachial valve

Posterior

Profile

Specimen #2
Pedicle valve

Anterior

Posterior

Profile

Examples of  Pholidostrophia geniculata from the Silica Shale of Ohio, Pholidostrophia nacrea from the Widder formation of Ontario, Canada and the Mahantango formation of Pennsylvania.

Athyris concentrica brachiopod from Eifel, Germany

I have yet another species of Athyris from Germany which makes three compared to the single species that I find here in New York and Pennsylvania.  Athyris concentrica comes from the Devonian, Eifelian stage, aged Junkerberg formation, near Gondelsheim, Eifel, Germany. The shell is generally round with a shallow sulcus and narrow concentric growth lines decorating the surface. This species looks very similar to A. vittata from Michigan.

Specimen #1
Pedicle valve

Anterior

Brachial valve

Posterior

Profile

Specimen #2
Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

Compare this species to others from Germany, A. tumida and A. amanshauseri or here in N. America, A. spiriferoides from New York.

Spinatrypa aspera brachiopod from Eifel, Germany

Spinatrypa is somewhat common in the lower to middle Devonian of Europe while it is more prevalent in the US during the late middle to upper Devonian. To me this is an indication of the genera originating in Europe and migrating to the US as the continents moved closer during the Devonian. The specimen of Spinatrypa aspera below comes from the Junkerberg formation (Devonian, Eifelian stage), near Gondelsheim, Eifel, Germany. It is a robust, rounded shell with the typical rippled surface that one expects.

Specimen #1
Brachial valve

Profile

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

Specimen #2
Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

I have plenty of other examples of this genera including S. aspera from Poland (of which I am having doubts my specimens are labelled correctly), S. spinoa from the Windom shale of New York (with and without spines preserved) as well as and S. rockfordensis from Iowa.

Primipilaria primipilaris brachiopod from Eifel, Germany

I've featured Primipilaria primipilaris on the blog previously as a fossil from the Skaly beds in Poland. Today I have a specimen from the Eifel region of Germany to compliment that earlier specimen. Hailing from the Junkerberg formation near Gondelsheim (SW of Bonn, near the border with Belgium), this brachiopod (when viewed from above of below) has a pointed umbo that grades out to the egdes of the shell in a wide, obtuse angle while the rest of the perimeter is roughly rectangular in shape. The most notable feature is seen when viewing the anterior portion of the shell where a deep "U" shape can be seen along the margin where the valves meet. This normally might be associated with a deep sulcus but the pedicle valve is only slightly bent. Also notable is that all along the margin where the valves meet around the shell (excepting the hinge line) the shell looks "puckered" as though eating a lemon drop. Shell ornamentation is minimal with fine radiating ribs.

Specimen #1
Pedicle valve

Anterior

Beachial valve

Posterior

Profile

Specimen #1
Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

The Junkerberg formation is Devonian in age (Eifelian stage).

Heliolites coral from Germany

Heliolites is an interesting coral that I thought was confined to the Silurian period, So I was surprised when my friend Nils sent me a specimen from the Devonian of Germany in a recent exchange. The specimen below comes from the Junkerberg Formation (Devonian, Eifelian stage) near Rommersheim, Germany.

Previously I've blogged about specimens from the Silurian of Gotland, Sweden and Louisville, Kentucky. A search of the Fossilworks site (formerly Paleodb.org) shows that Heliolites is known up into the middle Devonian in many places around the world. Apparently it went extinct in most of America (except Alaska) but not elsewhere.

Pugnax sp. Brachiopod from Germany

This is a weird looking brachiopod called Pugnax sp. from the Junkerberg Formation (Devonian, Eifelian stage) near Rommersheim, Germany. To me it's odd because it has a very wide sulcus that has it's own plications. Overall the shell is kind of boxy but has a triangular shape in profile.

Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

This genera is first found in the Devonian and survived up until the end Permian extinction. I have specimens of this genera from the Pennsylvanian of Texas but I've not had the chance to blog about it yet.

Thanks go out to Nils for sending me the specimen.