Mahantango brachiopod ID

[Miocene_Mason]

So as I am new to this whole formation and it's species, so I need some help again. Does any one know the species or genus? This is a brachiopod, the largest species I have yet come across in the Mahantango outcrop outside of McCoys ferry. I have found a few of these, only one larger than this but unfortunately it was broken. In big pool, MD I once came across a rock face with around 10 eroding out of the cliff, I didn't have the tools to collect them however. I can try to provide any other useful information needed to ID.

[Kane]

Some of them can come out quite large. This seems similar to Tropidolepta given the very straight bottom edge and the plication border. They look a lot like strophominids. Of course, I cannot say for sure, but it does not resemble some of the usual suspects in that formation, such as Athyris, Mucrospirifer, Amboceolia, or Rhipodomella. Neat find!

[Fossildude19]

Possibly Protoleptostrophia perplana.  

Definitely a Strophomenid.

 

Your photos brightened and cropped:

 

 

          

 

 

 

 

It's better when taking pictures of brachiopods to take the pictures from directly above, with the hinge line on top. 

That's usually how they are figured in publications.  

Regards,

[Fossildude19]

Side by side comparison - (note: the circled items look like Tropidoleptus  carinata. )

 

 

[westcoast]

The hinge line is wider in whodamanhd specimen giving it a more alate appearance than the illustrated specimens. Without knowledge of morphological variations in large sample populations there will always be questions about assigning accurate ID but it's a good starting place. Nice brachiopod btw

[doushantuo]

WHOA,someone says sample size and population study

*makes the sacred sign*

Retro me,Westcoast.

 

 

[Fossildude19]

28 minutes ago, westcoast said:

The hinge line is wider in whodamanhd specimen giving it a more alate appearance than the illustrated specimens. Without knowledge of morphological variations in large sample populations there will always be questions about assigning accurate ID but it's a good starting place. Nice brachiopod btw

 

Keep in mind, - there is quite a bit of variation in the specimens figured.

Other possibilities include Megastrophia sp. and Devonochonetes sp.

[westcoast]

17 minutes ago, doushantuo said:

WHOA,someone says sample size and population study

*makes the sacred sign*

Retro me,Westcoast.

 

 

Ha ha I wasn't sure if those terms were blocked by the administrator  (only joking of course Fossildude)

[doushantuo]

meanwhile ,the most informative article about "the Hopeful Monster" is still heavily paywalled

[doushantuo]

new!

Toppalassntology.pdf

edit: CVA warning

[EMP]

2 hours ago, WhodamanHD said:

So as I am new to this whole formation and it's species, so I need some help again. Does any one know the species or genus? This is a brachiopod, the largest species I have yet come across in the Mahantango outcrop outside of McCoys ferry. I have found a few of these, only one larger than this but unfortunately it was broken. In big pool, MD I once came across a rock face with around 10 eroding out of the cliff, I didn't have the tools to collect them however. I can try to provide any other useful information needed to ID.

 

I agree with Fossildude this time around. It's most likely a Protoleptostrophia sp. 

 

I have a picture of Protoleptostrophia sp. in my photo guide to some of MD's and WV's brachiopods, as well as other common Devonian species if you want some help identifying your finds. 

 

[erose]

3 hours ago, westcoast said:

Ha ha I wasn't sure if those terms were blocked by the administrator  (only joking of course Fossildude)

And my favorite: intraspecific variation...

[westcoast]

1 hour ago, erose said:

And my favorite: intraspecific variation...

Aaahhhhhhhh yessssss!