Leptaena analogaeformis brachiopod from Poland

A very common brachiopod genera here in the US is Leptaena and it appears to also be common in the Skaly beds of Poland. Below are specimens of Leptaena analogaeformis with both internal and external views available.

Pedicle valve

Anterior

Interior of Pedicle valve

Anterior - Note the slight twisting of the shell. I'm not sure if that is the result of how the shell grew or geologic processes.

Profile

Another view of the interior of the Pedicle valve with the muscle scars.

Compare that to the interior of the Brachial valve - Note this is a separate specimen and was not found articulated with the previous specimen.

Anterior

Ventral surface of the Brachial valve

Posterior

Profile

Unfortunately I don't have any specimens with both valves articulated. Both specimens came from near Kielce, Poland. The Skaly beds are dated to the Middle Devonian ( Eifelian to Givetian stages).

Primipilaria primipilaris brachiopod from Poland

This next brachiopod is Primipilaria primipilaris (Uncinulus primipilaris) from the Skaly beds in Poland. It really stands out to me because, in the anterior view, the edges of the shells where they meet always look like they are puckered from eating a sour lemon drop.

Specimen #1
Pedicle valve

Anterior

Brachial valve

Posterior

Profile

Here is another specime's anterior and profile view to further show the puckered look.

Both specimens came from the Skaly beds near Kielce, Poland. They are from the middle Devonian,  Eifelian to Givetian stages.

Aulacella prisca brachiopod from Poland

Aulacella prisca is unusual for me in that I can't seem to match it to any other genera that I've found in the Devonian here in the US. It comes from the Skaly Beds near Kielce, Poland which are dated to the middle Devonian (Eifelian to Givetian stages).

Brachial vale

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

According to Paleodb.org Aulacella are known from the upper Devonian of Iowa and Ohio.

Productella varians brachiopod from Poland

The Skaly Beds of Poland have a Productella species called Productella varians. It is very similar to P. spinulicosta that I have found at Arkona, Canada (albeit larger).

Specimen #1

Pedicle valve

 Anterior

 Brachial valve

 Posterior

 Profile

 This view gives you an idea of the concavity of the ventral side of the shell.

Specimen #2
Pedicle valve

 Anterior

 Brachial valve

 Posterior

 Profile

The specimens shown came from in the Skaly Beds near Kielce in the Holy Cross Mountains of Poland. The rocks are dated to the middle Devonian (Eifelian to Givetian stages).

Eleutherokomma diluvianoides brachiopod from Poland

Eleutherokomma diluvianoides was the first Devonian fossil from Poland that I added to my collection. It looks very similar to Mucrospirifer and is in fact within the same family but is listed as a separate genus. I found a document on the Palaeontologia Polonica web site from 1966 that shows similar specimens listed as "Mucrospirifer (Spinospirifer) diluvianoides n. sp." but it appears the classification has since been changed and updated.

Brachial valve

 Anteiror

 Pedicle valve

 Posterior

 Profile

The specimen shown came from in the Skaly Beds near Kielce in the Holy Cross Mountains of Poland. The rocks that held it are dated to the middle Devonian (Eifelian to Givetian stages).

Schizophoria schnuri brachiopod from Poland

As a comparison piece, this Schizophoria schnuri looks identical to the S. iowaensis I posted earlier. This specimen comes from the Skaly beds near Kielce in the Holy Cross Mountains of Poland. I'm not sure of the rock formation that it came from but they are dated to the Eifelian to Givetian stages of the middle Devonian.

Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

Here is the inside of the pedicle valve of a S. schnuri. Note the cardinal process scars which once held the muscles that opened and closed the shell.

Xystostrophia umbraculum brachiopod from Poland

I have a number of fossils from the Devonian of Poland that I purchased from E-bay (specifically this seller: 2010cidaris). I'd like to share some of these fossils and compare them to those found in the US and Canada. Considering that the area that would one day become the Holy Cross Mountains of Poland was on the opposite side of the proto Appalachian mountains (as part of the Baltica landmass), there is quite a bit of similarity.

These first specimens remind me of Strophodonta sp. brachiopods but they are classified as Xystostrophia umbraculum (Schellwienella umbraculum). They come from the Skaly beds (Devonian, Eifelian to Givetian stages) of Poland.

Specimen #1
Brachial valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior - Note how the interarea extends down from the hinge line whereas in Strophodonta sp. there is no obvious interarea.

Profile

Specimen #2 - Possibly another species because the radial ribs are coarser on this specimen?
Pedicle valve

Anterior

Pedicle valve

Posterior

Profile

The Skaly beds are found near Kielce, in the Holy Cross Mountains of Poland.