In molluscs, two homeobox genes, <i>engrailed</i> (<i>en</i>) and <i>distal-less</i> (<i>dlx</i>), are transcription factors that are expressed in correlation with shell development. They are expressed in the regions between shell-forming and non-shell-forming cells, likely defining the boundaries of shell-forming fields. Here we investigate the expression of two transcription factors in the brachiopod <i>Lingula anatina</i>. We find that <i>en</i> is expressed in larval mantle lobes, whereas <i>dlx</i> is expressed in larval tentacles. We also demonstrate that the embryonic shell marker, mantle peroxidase (<i>mpox</i>), is specifically expressed in mantle lobes. Our results suggest that <i>en</i> and <i>mpox</i> are possibly involved in brachiopod embryonic shell development. We discuss the evolutionary developmental origin of lophotrochozoan biomineralization through independent gene co-option
