Phylum Brachiopoda

R. A. Davis
Professor of Biology and Geology
College of Mount St. Joseph
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45233-1670

The following are comments and other information relating to the brachiopods. Clearly the information here is, in no way, comprehensive; hence, you should go to other sources of information. To this end, at the bottom of this are listed some bibliographic references that might prove useful. There also is an ankyliography (a list of links) to web-sites that may contain some useful information.

R. A. Davis
Professor of Biology and Geology
Department of Biology
College of Mount St. Joseph
5701 Delhi Road
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45233-1670

The phylum Brachiopoda traditionally has been divided into two classes: Articulata and Inarticulata. Some might argue that the creatures in the two groups are different enough from one another that they should be assigned to separate subphyla, or, even, phyla. Williams, Carlson, and Brunton (2000), on the other hand, did not use the traditional Articulata and Inarticulata, because they were convinced that such subdivision does not do an adequate job of reflecting the actual evolutionary history of the brachiopods. (Recall that taxonomy [and, hence, the nomenclature that is part of taxonomy] makes no biological sense unless it reflects phylogenetic history.) For a detailed discussion of the taxonomy of brachiopods, please, refer to Williams, Carlson, and Brunton (2000).

(These are the "inarticulated brachiopods". The taxon sometimes is ranked as a class.)

(These are the "articulated brachiopods". The taxon sometimes is ranked as a class.)

genus	higher taxa
Hebertella +	Articulata
Hiscobeccus +	Articulata
Laqueus	Articulata
Lingula	Inarticulata
Mucrospirifer +	Articulata
Onniella +	Articulata
Platystrophia +	Articulata
Rafinesquina +	Articulata
Sowerbyella +	Articulata
Terebratella	Articulata
Terebratalia	Articulata
Zygospira +	Articulata

In order to understand this group of organisms, how they function, how they evolved, and so on, you will need to know a number of words, their definitions, and how and when to use the words. Thus, you should put together a list of such words, definitions, and notes. Here are some items to start you in compiling your own list.

Note that many terms in the material in this WEB-page have not been listed separately in this glossary. This does not mean that it would be a wise idea for you to ignore the terms in the material above.

(If a word you seek is not in the following, you might find it in the general glossary.)

One of the muscles of a bivalved organism that serve to close the shell, that is, to draw the two valves toward one another. (cf.: diductor). In an articluate brachiopod, the adductors act in opposition to the diductors.

Said of a brachiopod in which there is a well developed hinge; such a hinge includes projections and indentations (called, respectively, teeth and sockets) that interlock, thereby tending to keep the valves from being twisted apart, by a predator, for example. (cf.: inarticulated).

One of the muscles of a bivalved organism that serve to open the shell. (cf.: adductor). In an articulate brachiopod, the diductors act in opposition to the adductors.

Said of a brachiopod in which there is not a well developed hinge; in inarticulate brachiopods, there is a complex system of muscles that tend to keep the valves from being twisted apart, by a predator, for example. (cf.: articulated).

Barnes, Robert D., 1987, Invertebrate Zoology [fifth edition]: Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia, ix + 893 p. ----- V.

Beck, D. Elden, and Lee F. Braithwaite, 1962, Phylum Brachiopoda. p. 158-161 IN Invertebrate Zoology. Laboratory Workbook: Burgess Publishing Company, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Bullough, W. S., 1960, Phylum Brachiopoda. p. 162-169 IN Practical Invertebrate Anatomy: Macmillan, London.

Davis, R. A., 1992, Cincinnati fossils. An elementary guide to the Ordovician rocks and fossils of the Cincinnati, Ohio, region [third edition]: Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, Cincinnati, Ohio, 61 p.

Dutro, J. T., jr., and R. S. Boardman, editors, 1981, Lophophorates. Notes for a short course: University of Tennessee, Department of Geological Sciences, Studies in Geology 5 (edited by T. W. Broadhead). iv + 251 p. [available through the Paleontological Society].

Hickman, Cleveland P., jr., Larry S. Roberts, and Allan Larson, 1997, Integrated Principles of Zoology (tenth edition): Wm. C. Brown, Dubuque, Iowa. xix + 901 p., specifically, chapter 23 "The Lophophorate Animals", p. 442-448.

Margulis, Lynn, and Karlene V. Schwartz, 1998, Five Kingdoms. An Illustrated Guide to the Phyla of Life on Earth: W. H. Freeman and Company, New York. xx + 520 p. [paperbound; ISBN 0-7167-3183-5], specifically, p. 306-309.

Pierce, Madelene E., 1960, Brachiopoda. Terebratulina septentrionales or Terebratella: p. 357-359 IN Brown, Frank A., jr., 1960, Selected Invertebrate Types: John Wiley and Sons, New York.

Raven, Peter H., George B. Johnson, and Stuart Ira Fox, 1999, Biology (fifth edition): WCB/McGraw-Hill, Boston, xxviii + 1284 p. [ISBN 0-07-235692-8], specifically, p. 824.

Rowell, Albert J., and Richard E. Grant, 1987, Phylum Brachiopoda: p. 445-496 IN Boardman, Richard S., Alan H. Cheetham, and Albert J. Rowell, editors, 1987, Fossil Invertebrates: Blackwell Scientific Publications, Palo Alto, California. ----- V.

Stearn, Colin W., and Robert L. Carroll, 1989, Paleontology: The Record of Life: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, x + 453 p. [ISBN 0-471-84528-0; hard-bound], specifically, p. 107-115. ----- V.

Williams, Alwyn, C. H. C. Brunton, S. J. Carlson, et al., 1997, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part H. Brachiopoda. Revised. Volume 1. Introduction: Geological Society of America and University of Kansas, Boulder, Colorado, and Lawrence, Kansas, xx + 539 p.

Williams, Alwyn, C. H. C. Brunton, S. J. Carlson, et al., 2000a, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part H. Brachiopoda. Revised. Volume 2. Linguliformea, Craniiformea, and Rhynchonelliformea (part): Geological Society of America and University of Kansas, Boulder, Colorado, and Lawrence, Kansas, xxx + 423 p.

Williams, Alwyn, C. H. C. Brunton, S. J. Carlson, et al., 2000b, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part H. Brachiopoda. Revised. Volume 3. Linguliformea, Craniiformea, and Rhynchonelliformea (part): Geological Society of America and University of Kansas, Boulder, Colorado, and Lawrence, Kansas, p. 424-919.

Williams, Alwyn, C. H. C. Brunton, S. J. Carlson, et al., 2002, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part H. Brachiopoda. Revised. Volume 4: Rhynchonelliformea (part): Geological Society of America and University of Kansas, Boulder, Colorado, and Lawrence, Kansas, p. i-xxxiv + 921-1688.

Williams, Alwyn, C. H. C. Brunton, S. J. Carlson, et al., 2006, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part H. Brachiopoda. Revised. Volume 5: Rhynchonelliformea (part): Geological Society of America and University of Kansas, Boulder, Colorado, and Lawrence, Kansas, p. i-xlvi + 1689-2320. ----- V.

Williams, Alwyn, Sandra J. Carlson, and C. Howard C. Brunton, 2000, Brachiopod classification: p. 1-27 IN Williams, Alwyn, C. H. C. Brunton, S. J. Carlson, et al., 2000, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part H. Brachiopoda. Revised. Volume 2. Linguliformea, Craniiformea, and Rhynchonelliformea (part): Geological Society of America and University of Kansas, Boulder, Colorado, and Lawrence, Kansas. ----- V.

Williams, Alwyn, Sandra J. Carlson, and C. Howard C. Brunton, 2006, Outline of suprafamilial classification and authorship: p. xl-xlvi IN Williams, Alwyn, C. H. C. Brunton, S. J. Carlson, et al., 2006, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part H. Brachiopoda. Revised. Volume 5: Rhynchonelliformea (part): Geological Society of America and University of Kansas, Boulder, Colorado, and Lawrence, Kansas, p. i-xlvi + 1689-2320. ----- V.

Williams, Alwyn, A. J. Rowell, et al., 1965, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Part H. Brachiopoda: Geological Society of America and University of Kansas, New York, New York, and Lawrence, Kansas, volume 1: i-xxxii + H1-H521; volume 2: i-ii + H523-H927.

(Editorial note: The word "ankyliography" is analogous to the word "bibliography", but is derived from the Greek word "ankylion", which denotes a link in a chain [as opposed to "biblion", "book"].)

The "EuroBrachNet", strangely enough, is devoted to brachiopods and is located in Europe.

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2 April 1999; 6 March 2001; 02 July 2004; 19 February 2005; 05 and 08 August 2006; 26 March 2007

cf.	=	compare to (from the Latin "conferre", "to compare")
q.v.	=	see the entry for the previous word (from the Latin "quod vide", "which see")

TBC	=	citation incomplete or otherwise suspect; it definitely needs to be checked against the original.
V	=	verified with the original publication
[ ]	=	note / annotation
{ }	=	source of information