Epithelial moulds from some Upper Ordovician acrotretide brachiopods of Ireland

Abstract

Three new genera of acrotretid brachiopods are of general morphological interest in that they display polygonal mosaics on the internal shell surfaces, features which are believed to be moulds of the outer epithelial cells. The mosaic is further noted in a specimen of Eoconulus, a form which may also belong to the Acrotretacea. Such mosaics have not previously been recorded from the Acrotretacea.