Rhynchonelloidella smithi

Rhynchonelloidella smithi; Temporal range: Middle Jurassic, 168–165 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
	Rhynchonelloidella smithi, brachial valve
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Brachiopoda
Class:	Rhynchonellata
Order:	Rhynchonellida
Family:	Rhynchonellidae
Genus:	Rhynchonelloidella
Species:	† R. smithi
Binomial name
	† Rhynchonelloidella smithi; (Davidson, 1878)
Synonyms
	Rhynchonella varians (Schlotheim), in part; Rhynchonella varians var. smithi Walker MS; Rhynchonella smithi Walker; Rhynchonella media (Sowerby), in part; Rhynchonelloidella smithi var. crassa Muir-Wood;

Rhynchonelloidella smithi is a species of extinct, small-sized brachiopods, a marine rhynchonellate lampshell in the family Rhynchonellidae. It is roughly 9/16 inch (1.4 cm), and has about 21 ribs fanning out from the hinge.

Distribution

Rhynchonelloidella alemanica is known from the later Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of England and Germany. The specimen that the description is based upon was collected in Fuller's Earth Rock, near Bath, Somerset, England (lectotype).^[1] Further specimens were collected from Weymouth, Bruton, Wiltshire, Gloucester, and Lamyat Beacon,^[2] Dyrham, Avon, Bristol Channel,^[3] Whatley, Somerset,^[4] and Sengenthal, Germany.

Habitat

During the Middle c, the fossil locations cited were on continental shelves, probably in tropical, shallow coral seas, where this lampshell lived as a stationary epifaunal suspension feeder.^[5]

Gallery

brachial valve
pedunculate valve
view of the hinge
view of the opening
lateral view

References

^ Muir-Wood, H.M. (1936). A Monograph of the Brachiopoda of the British Great Oolite Series, Part 1: The Brachiopoda of the Fuller's Earth. Vol. 89. Palaeontographical Society. pp. 1–144, plate 1-5.
^ Shi, Xiao-ying; Grant, Richard E. (1993). Jurassic Rhynchonellids: internal structures and taxonomic revisions (PDF). Smithsonian contributions to paleobiology. Vol. 73.
^ "Earth Lab Datasite". Natural History Museum.
^ Sylvester-Bradley, P. C.; Hodson, Frank; Arkell, W. J. (1957). "The Fuller's Earth of Whatley, Somerset". Geological Magazine. 94 (4): 312–325. doi:10.1017/s0016756800068758. S2CID 128556383.
^ "Rhynchonelloidella smithi". Paleobiology Data Base.

[1] Muir-Wood, H.M. (1936). A Monograph of the Brachiopoda of the British Great Oolite Series, Part 1: The Brachiopoda of the Fuller's Earth. Vol. 89. Palaeontographical Society. pp. 1–144, plate 1-5.

[Shi_and_Grant-2] Shi, Xiao-ying; Grant, Richard E. (1993). Jurassic Rhynchonellids: internal structures and taxonomic revisions (PDF). Smithsonian contributions to paleobiology. Vol. 73.

[3] "Earth Lab Datasite". Natural History Museum.

[4] Sylvester-Bradley, P. C.; Hodson, Frank; Arkell, W. J. (1957). "The Fuller's Earth of Whatley, Somerset". Geological Magazine. 94 (4): 312–325. doi:10.1017/s0016756800068758. S2CID 128556383.

[5] "Rhynchonelloidella smithi". Paleobiology Data Base.

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