Sunday, May 19, 2013

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.

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