Postepithyris cincta brachiopod from France

I always like large brachiopods and these specimens of Postepithryis cincta certainly meet that standard. The specimens below are roughly 1.5" long (4cm) by 1.25" wide (3cm). They come from rocks dated to the Oxfordian stage (Jurassic) near Bourges in the department of Cher, France.
P. cincta is a Terebratulid type brachiopod, oval shaped and with a large foramen (round hole) in the umbo (beak like extension of the shell) where the pedicle muscle once extended. The only other distinguishing feature is the gentle, sine wave like shape to the anterior margin where the two shell halves meet.

Specimen #1
Pedicle valve

Anterior

Brachial valve

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Specimen #2
Pedicle valve

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Brachial valve

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Thanks to Gery for these fossils!

Belemnitella mucronata cephalopod from France

My friend Gery sent me some specimens of Belemnitella mucronata from the Toarcian stage aged (Jurassic) rocks in Vendee Department, France. They are small and show the typical round cross sections. Had they not been labelled I would not be able to tell them apart from many other Belemnite fossils. These are just the internal "skeletons" of squid like animals that were surrounded by soft tissue and mostly were used to anchor muscles.

Tetrarhynchia tetraedra brachiopod from France

Tetrarhynchia tetraedra is a Rhynchonellid with a triangular shaped shell and strong plications that are reflected in the margins of the shell. There is a strong, wide sulcus with multiple plications as well. The specimen below comes from Moselle Department, France and dates to the Plienbachian stage of the Jurassic.

Pedicle valve

Anterior

Brachial valve

Posterior

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Thank you to Gery for the great fossil!

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

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Brachial valve

Posterior

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Specimen #2
Pedicle valve

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Posterior

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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

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Brachial valve

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Specimen #2
Brachial valve

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Pedicle valve

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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

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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).