Brachiopod? Devonian?

[JanK]

About 57 years ago I found this fossil in Monroe, NY when I was 12 yrs old at summer camp.  I brought it into the NYC Museum of Natural History, and a paleontologist told me it was a Brachiopod internal mold, about 365 million years old, putting it into the Devonian period.  I have since examined photos of Brachiopods taken from every angle, and have noticed some similarities, but other things don't seem to match up.  I'm hoping someone on this Forum has any additional info.  Thanks!!!

[FossilDAWG]

I agree with that ID.  What makes it harder to reconcile with photos of brachiopods is that it is actually a mold of the interior as the actual shell has dissolved away.  To make it even more challenging, most of the mold has eroded away, leaving only a small area near the "beak" of the shell.

 

Don

[Fossildude19]

Hello Jan, and Welcome to the Forum.  

 

As stated it is an internal mold of a brachiopod - maybe a spiriferid. 

 

 Internal mold

"Beak" section

 

Brachiopod external anatomy

 

Row 2 - internal mold

 

 

Hope this helps.

Regards,

[JanK]

Thanks for the welcome and your responses.  I have seen photos like mine showing those 2 pointy projections and the "wings" on the ends.  It sort of looks like the "Batman" symbol.  In the other photos I have seen, the brachiopod appears straight across, but mine seems to have a more severe curve - the reverse side of the rock has clear shell impressions that appear to be from brachiopods.

 

[Jeffrey P]

What you're describing sounds like a mucrospirifer type of brachiopod. There are thousands of species of brachiopods all different types, shapes, and sizes. Oh, and welcome to the Fossil Forum from the Hudson Valley, NY.