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3 Waldron Shale Brachiopods


Misha

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Hello everyone,

I recently purchased this plate of brachiopods and bryozoa from the Waldron Shale in Indiana. I received a label with it but to me, the IDs on there do not seem right, so I wanted to ask here for your opinions. Here is the whole piece:

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I'll start with the ones I think I have identified. First, the brachiopod on the left in these photos:

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I think this is a Dictyonella reticularia due to the overall shape and the surface ornamentation which looks close to the specimens I have seen in my research. This was the only species listed in a list of fauna I found from the Waldron shale although other sources have other species from this genus. Originally it was labeled as Meristina nitida.

 

Next, the small pyritized shell:

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Originally this one was labeled Orthis hybrida, that did not look right to me at all, I did a bit of searching and am now wondering if this could be Resserella sp.? not sure which species though.

 

And finally the ones I am most confused about, the multiple bumpy shells:

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I think it is pretty clear these are Atrypids, they were labeled Atrypa reticularis by the seller. I have many brachiopods from this genus and species but have never seen any with such prominent shell ornamentation. I tried digging though fauna lists and other resources but other than that species I haven't found much. Does anyone know what this one might be, and if my other IDs are accurate?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for taking a look,

Misha

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Hey Misha,

 

Congrats on obtaining another nice Waldron Shale association piece.  The three species of Brachiopods are all conspicuous taxa of the Waldron Shale fauna.  Looking at the entire plate, first picture. 

The top center specimen is Resserella waldronensis (Foerste, 1917).  (This genus syn. with Parmorthis Schuchert & Cooper, 1931)

The specimen to the left, and you are correct, is Dictyonella reticulata, Hall 1868

The specimen(s) to the right are Atrypa reticularis, Linnaeus 1758 

(Of note: I have collected a few specimens of what I have determined as Atrypa niagarensis, Nettleroth.  They exhibit much more reduced costae as compared to A. reticularis which appears much more rugose.  In addition the overall shape of A. niagarensis is diagnostic as well)

 

Hope this helps and keep in touch.

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  • 11 months later...

Now Eodictyonella, I believe, as Dictyonella is the genus of a recent sponge. 

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