Class Rhynchonellata Williams 1996
Order Spiriferida Waagen 1883
Family Trigonotretidae Schuchert 1893
Genus Neospirifer Fredericks, 1924
Species dunbari King, 1933

The brachiopod Neospirifer is uncommon from the Brush Creek limestone in Parks Township and unrecovered from the Pine Creek Limestone in Manor Township. Neospirifer is one of the easiest to recognize brachiopods. Like most local fossils, the genus only survived past the end of the Permian, also known as the Permian-Triassic extinction.

King (1933) published a name replacement, replacing Spirifer triplicata (Hall, 1852) with Neospirifer dunbari.

Neospirifer dunbari Plate with three specimens
Fig. 01.—Neospirifer dunbari from the Brush Creek limestone at SL 6533; A, a brachial valve of a specimen from weather-altered limestone with most of the shell dissolved, CG-0391; B, a brachial valve of a specimen from unaltered limestone, CG-0316, showing a hinge line; C, pedicle valve with partially defoliated shell, CG-0103. Scale bar = 1 cm.

References

  • M. R. Mudge, E. L. Yochelson, and R. C. Douglas, H. Duncan, H. L. Strimple, M. Gordon, Jr, D. H. Dunkle. 1962. Stratigraphy and Paleontology of the Uppermost Pennsylvanian and Lowermost Permian Rocks in Kansas. United States Geological Survey Professional Paper 323:1-213
  • R. E. King. 1933. Neospirifer dunbari R. H. King nom. nov. Journal of Paleontology 7:441 (Vol 7, No 4)
  • Schuchert, C. (1893). A classification of the Brachiopoda. American Geologist. 11: 141-167. 
  • Waagen, W. H. (1883). Salt Range Fossils. I. Productus-Limestone Fossils. Geological Survey of India, Memoirs, Palaeontologia Indica (series 13). 4(2): 391–546, pl. 29–49. 
  • Williams, A., Carlson, S., Brunton, C. H. C., Holmer, L. E., & Popov, L. E. (1996). A supra-ordinal classification of the Brachiopoda. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Biological Sciences, 351: 1117–1193.

Late Carboniferous Fossils from the Glenshaw Formation in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania

Localities: Locality SL 6445 | Locality SL 6533

Trilobita | Crinoidea

Bivalvia: Allopinna | Parallelodon | Septimyalina

Cephalopoda: Metacoceras

Gastropoda: Amphiscapha | Bellerophon | Cymatospira | Euphemites | Meekospira | Orthonychia | Patellilabia | Pharkidonotus | Retispira | Shansiella | Worthenia

Brachiopoda: Cancrinella | Composita | Isogramma | Linoproductus | Neospirifer | Parajuresania | Pulchratia

Chordata: Petalodus | Glikmanius