The Hirnantian (Late Ordovician) brachiopod fauna of the East Baltic: Taxonomy of the key species

Rhynchonelliformean brachiopods, belonging to 17 genera, are described from the East Baltic Porkuni Regional Stage, correlated with the global Hirnantian Stage. The brachiopod genera Paromalomena, Proboscizambon?, Kinnella, Drabo-via, and Coolinia, which are described from the region for the first time demonstrate together with characteristic Hir-nantian species of the genera Hirnantia, Dalmanella, Plectothyrella, Eostropheodonta, and Hindella a greater than pre-viously thought commonality of the Baltic fauna with the terminal Ordovician Hirnantia brachiopod fauna of the Kosov Province. The samples containing brachiopods were collected from 43 drill core sections in Central East Baltic. The study area belongs to the Livonian Tongue of the Central Baltoscandian Facies Belt in the Baltic Basin. The brachiopods occur mainly in the skeletal and silty limestone of the Kuldiga Formation within the lower half of the Porkuni Stage. Few brachiopods are known from the sandy or oolitic limestone of the Saldus Formation in the upper part of the stage. Due to excellent preservation some brachiopod species (e.g., Cliftonia psittacina and Dalmanella testudinaria) yield key morphological information, relevant to their classification and phylogeny. This taxonomic study of the East Baltic brachiopods presents essential groundwork for analysis in progress on the distribution and onshore-offshore successions of the Hirnantia brachiopod fauna within both a Baltoscandian and global context

Maximizing diductor adhension: An unusual cardinal process in Late Ordovician brachiopods from Estonia

Cardinal process is a structure on dorsal valve of brachiopods serving for separation or attachment of diductor muscles. A cardinal process with a peculiar folded myophore is described from Late Ordovician “Orthis” kukersiana−group brachiopods assigned to the genus Cyrtonotella (order Orthida). This structure differs from those of other rhynchonelliformean brachiopods and can be considered as a separate type among about twenty varieties of processes described up to now

New Early Katian species of Leptestiidae and Hesperorthidae (Brachiopoda) from Lithuania

A new leptestiid brachiopod species of the genus Sampo and a hesperorthid species of the genus Dolerorthis are described from the Early Katian Oandu Stage of southern Lithuania. The new species Sampo suduvensis and Dolerorthis nadruvensis are common brachiopods for the Howellites wesenbergensis–Hedstroemina subaequiclina–Reushella magna community of the Lithuanian shelf. In the East Baltic the brachiopods of the genus Sampo appear first in the deeper part of the Lithuanian shelf in siliciclastic lithologies. The genus Dolerorthis is identified for the first time in the East Baltic. The new species Dolerorthis nadruvensis differs from other related Hesperorthidae brachiopods in the region. An exception is the Late Katian species Boreadorthis recula from Estonia, which shows similarity with D. nadruvensis in shell size and ornamentation. Still, the generic relationship of these species requires further studies. The new species of brachiopods are a supplement to the brachiopod fauna of southern Lithuania