INVERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY IN THREE BOOKS - BOOK 3 - H.I. Shcherbak - 1997

PHYLUM BRACHIOPODA

FOSSIL BRACHIOPods

The earliest remains of brachiopods (whose calcareous or phosphatic shells and lophophore skeletons are well preserved in the fossil record) are known from the upper horizons of the Proterozoic, where chitinophosphatic shells of inarticulate brachiopods have been found. The Lower Cambrian features representatives of almost all extant orders of this subclass.

Interestingly, Representatives of the modern genus Lingula have been known since the Ordovician, meaning this genus has existed for about 450 million years. The greatest diversification and Abundance of brachiopods occurred during the Paleozoic.

Fossil brachiopods are of great practical importance as index fossils for determining the geological age of various Earth strata during mineral exploration.

The remains of phosphatic shells of Ordovician species belonging to the genus Obolus formed the so-called obolus deposits, which are used to produce phosphate fertilizers, for instance in Estonia.



Last update: 13/08/2026

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