Shell subcircular, punctate. Cardinal process highly developed, bifid. Brachial apparatus composed of two calcareous free lamellae, prolonged at first downwards, then bent back, upwards and outwards to run parallel to margin of shell and to unite in front, thus constituting a wide loop.
Range.—Silurian and Devonian.
Sole Genus.—Stringocephalus.
Family. Thecidiidae
Shell usually fixed by beak of ventral valve, plano-convex. Sub-cardinal apophysis in ventral valve for attachment of occlusors. Marginal septa in dorsal valve. Calcareous brachial loop more or less fused with shell, and with calcareous spicules of mantle. Shell structure: inner layer fibrous, outer layer tubulated.
Range.—Carboniferous to Recent.
Principal Genera.—Thecidium, Oldhamina.
Stratigraphical Distribution of Brachiopoda
It is remarkable that some of the earliest types of Brachiopoda exist generically unchanged at the present day. Such are Lingula, ranging from the Cambrian; Discina and Crania, ranging from the Ordovician; and amongst the hinged forms Terebratula from the Devonian, and Rhynchonella from the Ordovician.
In the lowest Cambrian (Olenellus beds) the most important genera are Linnarssonia and Kutorgina. The hinged forms appear in the Cambrian, being represented by Orthis; but the majority in this formation belong to the Ecardines. Lingula, Lingulella, and Obolella are characteristic.