BRITISH BRACHIOPODS

This site deals with the British representatives of a group of marine animals which has a long, impressive history extending back into the Cambrian. The group showed great diversification in the Palaeozoic, whilst in the Mesozoic they declined in species diversity and, at times, also in absolute abundance. Today brachiopods can be regarded as "living fossils" found inter-tidally and in deeper waters. They are often called "lamp-shells" and have been confused with bivalve molluscs. This site should aid in avoiding confusion as each brachiopod is described in great detail.

A Glossary of the terms used to describe the brachiopods may be found useful.

A key aiding in the identification of specimens can be found here.

Click here to see a full colour image of Terebratulina retusa, the most abundant British Brachiopod. (383k)

List of British Brachiopods

• Neocrania anomala
• Pelagodiscus atlanticus
• Cryptopora gnomon
• Hemithiris psittacea
• Hispanirhynchia cornea
• Gryphus vitreus
• Terebratulina retusa
• Terebratulina septentrionalis
• Eucalathis tuberata
• Platidia davidsoni
• Megathiris detruncata
• Argyrotheca cistellula
• Argyrotheca cuneata
• Gwynia capsula
• Platidia anomioides
• Megerlia truncata
• Megerlia echinata
• Dallina septigera
• Fallax dalliniformis
• Glaciarcula spitzbergensis
• Macandrevia cranium

Queries to Gordon Curry at g.curry@geology.gla.ac.uk.

These pages are based on "British Brachiopods" by C.H.C. Brunton & G.B. Curry published by the Linnean Society of London and Academic Press (Synopses of the British Fauna, 17, 1979, 64pp; ISBN 0-12-137960-4).

These pages were spun by John Neilan and John Hogarty.