Louisville Fossils and Beyond: Camarotoechia pauciplicata Brachiopod Fossil

Monday, April 26, 2021

Camarotoechia pauciplicata Brachiopod Fossil

Plate 9 Figure 7 Camarotoechia pauciplicata sp. nov. dorsal view of a specimen from the Stafford limestone of Genesee county.

Here are a series of images drawn by Elvira Wood in 1901 which she used to name a new species of brachiopod called Camarotoechia pauciplicata. She described and illustrated it in the 1901 paper Marcellus (Stafford) Limestones of Lancaster, Erie Co. N.Y. on pages 162-163.

"Associated with Camarotoechia sappho and C. horsfordi are specimens which differ from both in important respects. The outline of these shells is subpentagonal, the greatest width being two thirds the distance from the beak to the anterior margin. Pedicle valve slightly convex in the posterior portion but becoming depressed in the sinus and extended in front to meet the margin of the brachial valve. Beak elevated and slightly incurved. Brachial valve gibbous, the greatest convexity being at about the middle of the shell. Surface marked by three subangular plications on the fold, two in the sinus, and three broad, low plications on the lateral slopes. These are crossed by well marked lines of growth. Plications absent near the beaks and becoming well defined at about one fourth the length of the shell from the beak. A well marked constriction of both valves is often present about half way between the beak and anterior margin. The interior could not be observed. The nearly straight cardinal slopes, elevated ventral beak, and few plications of the fold and sinus are the most characteristic features of the species.

This species resembles externally Pugnax utah of the upper Coal Measures, but the specimens are longer in proportion to the width, and the plications become visible nearer the beak than in the latter species. From Camarotoechia (?) duplicata, of the Chemung beds, it differs in the unequal convexity of the valves, straight cardinal slopes, and greater number of lateral plications. This species shell has been found by the writer in material from the Stafford limestone of the Livonia shaft (N. Y. state museum)."