Rhynchonellata

The Rhynchonellata is a class of Lower Cambrian to Recent articulate brachiopods that combines orders from within the Rhynchonelliformea with well developed pedicle attachment. Shell forms vary from those with wide hinge lines to beaked forms with virtually no hinge line and from generally smooth to strongly plicate. Most all are biconvex. Lophophores vary and include both looped and spiraled forms. Although morphologically distinct, included orders follow a consistent phylogenetic sequence.

Rhynchonellata

Wilson44691 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikipedia/Commons. May be a photograph of a specimen, or an artist’s reconstruction — an interpretation of a skeleton, since colour and soft tissue are almost never preserved.

On record

Recorded, not inferred
Sits inside
RhynchonelliformeaPBDB
Diet
suspension feederPBDB, for Brachiopoda
Life habit
low-level epifaunalPBDB, for Brachiopoda
Motility
stationary, attachedPBDB, for Brachiopoda
Vision
blindPBDB
Environment
marinePBDB, for Lophophorata

Time the record covers

At least 471 million years on record.

The record covers at least 509.7 Mya to 37.71 Mya. No occurrence read is dated outside 538.8 Mya to 33.9 Mya.

Cambrian — about 29 of 12000 occurrencesCambrianOrdovician — about 2232 of 12000 occurrencesOrdovicianSilurian — about 2103 of 12000 occurrencesDevonian — about 2937 of 12000 occurrencesDevonianCarboniferous — about 3417 of 12000 occurrencesCarboniferousPermian — about 116 of 12000 occurrencesPermianEarly Triassic — about 0 of 12000 occurrencesMiddle Triassic — about 0 of 12000 occurrencesLate Triassic — about 0 of 12000 occurrencesEarly Jurassic — about 32 of 12000 occurrencesMiddle Jurassic — about 84 of 12000 occurrencesLate Jurassic — about 168 of 12000 occurrencesEarly Cretaceous — about 351 of 12000 occurrencesLate Cretaceous — about 284 of 12000 occurrencesPaleocene — about 214 of 12000 occurrencesEocene — about 33 of 12000 occurrencesOligocene — about 0 of 12000 occurrences549–531 Mya — about 0.5 occurrences531–514 Mya — about 3 occurrences514–496 Mya — about 14 occurrences496–479 Mya — about 105 occurrences479–461 Mya — about 488 occurrences461–444 Mya — about 1552 occurrences444–426 Mya — about 1949 occurrences426–409 Mya — about 830 occurrences409–391 Mya — about 572 occurrences391–374 Mya — about 1066 occurrences374–356 Mya — about 866 occurrences356–339 Mya — about 1151 occurrences339–321 Mya — about 1251 occurrences321–304 Mya — about 469 occurrences304–286 Mya — about 488 occurrences286–269 Mya — about 2 occurrences269–251 Mya — about 27 occurrences216–199 Mya — about 2 occurrences199–181 Mya — about 29 occurrences181–164 Mya — about 39 occurrences164–146 Mya — about 172 occurrences146–129 Mya — about 171 occurrences129–111 Mya — about 206 occurrences111–94 Mya — about 29 occurrences94–76 Mya — about 97 occurrences76–59 Mya — about 385 occurrences59–41 Mya — about 11 occurrences41–24 Mya — about 25 occurrences509.7 Mya37.71 Mya549 Mya24 Mya

12,000+ occurrences of Rhynchonellata on record. The Paleobiology Database records this as a living group, and the chart stops with its fossils rather than at the present. Bar height is expected occurrences, not a count: each fossil is spread across the span it is dated to, so a tall narrow bar means tight dating and a low wide one means loose.

When

12,000 occurrences read

These are dates about fossils, not the animal: the record can only begin after it arose and end before it died out, so either end may reach further. Shares are expected occurrences: a fossil dated to a span is counted partly in each period it straddles. The read hit its cap, so every figure above is a floor and the shares are of the occurrences read. More on what this infers.

Found in

at least 556 formations

Bangor Limestone — 34.45°N, 87.75°WBangor Limestone — 34.59°N, 87.63°WBangor Limestone — 34.52°N, 87.58°WThree Forks Shale — 45.35°N, 111.17°WThree Forks Shale — 45.91°N, 111.85°WThree Forks Shale — 45.89°N, 111.96°WThree Forks Shale — 45.93°N, 111.86°WThree Forks Shale — 45.02°N, 112.56°WThree Forks Shale — 45.90°N, 111.40°WThree Forks Shale — 45.96°N, 111.54°WThree Forks Shale — 45.92°N, 111.55°WThree Forks Shale — 45.83°N, 111.64°WWaterways — 58.00°N, 112.72°WDenay Limestone — 39.22°N, 116.22°WCherokee Shale — 37.60°N, 94.68°WCherokee Shale — 37.42°N, 94.79°WCherokee Shale — 37.35°N, 94.99°WCherokee Shale — 37.30°N, 94.95°WCherokee Shale — 37.24°N, 94.99°WCherokee Shale — 37.17°N, 95.10°WCherokee Shale — 37.04°N, 95.17°WCherokee Shale — 37.14°N, 95.10°WCherokee Shale — 37.37°N, 94.86°WCherokee Shale — 37.58°N, 94.64°WCherokee Shale — 37.65°N, 94.71°WCherokee Shale — 37.33°N, 94.80°WCherokee Shale — 37.51°N, 94.64°WCherokee Shale — 37.24°N, 94.95°WCherokee Shale — 37.32°N, 94.68°WCherokee Shale — 39.49°N, 94.28°WCherokee Shale — 37.10°N, 94.89°WCherokee Shale — 37.11°N, 94.82°WCherokee Shale — 37.24°N, 94.80°WCherokee Shale — 37.04°N, 95.15°WGraham — 33.02°N, 98.64°WGraham — 33.00°N, 98.67°WGraham — 33.11°N, 98.59°WGraham — 32.96°N, 98.76°WGraham — 33.09°N, 98.46°WGraham — 31.50°N, 99.37°WGraham — 31.44°N, 99.34°WGraham — 33.01°N, 98.52°WGraham — 31.49°N, 99.31°WGraham — 32.54°N, 98.87°WMount Ida — 36.77°S, 144.77°EMount Ida — 37.00°S, 144.00°EMount Ida — 34.08°S, 151.02°EMount Ida — 34.42°S, 145.60°EForaker Limestome — 39.49°N, 96.27°WForaker Limestome — 39.07°N, 96.07°WForaker Limestome — 39.25°N, 96.57°WForaker Limestome — 39.39°N, 96.41°WForaker Limestome — 39.07°N, 96.18°WForaker Limestome — 37.64°N, 96.43°WForaker Limestome — 37.65°N, 96.46°WForaker Limestome — 38.15°N, 96.32°WSalem Limestone — 37.49°N, 85.34°WSalem Limestone — 37.31°N, 85.44°WSalem Limestone — 37.79°N, 85.82°WSalem Limestone — 37.26°N, 85.34°WSalem Limestone — 37.43°N, 85.40°WSalem Limestone — 37.33°N, 85.50°WSalem Limestone — 37.18°N, 85.32°WSalem Limestone — 37.19°N, 85.37°WSalem Limestone — 37.55°N, 85.70°WSalem Limestone — 37.05°N, 85.05°WSalem Limestone — 38.06°N, 85.98°WSalem Limestone — 38.03°N, 86.03°WCanon de Caballeros — 23.77°N, 99.27°WSecond Abden Shale — 56.07°N, 3.17°WEdwardsville — 39.50°N, 86.50°WEdwardsville — 39.75°N, 86.67°WEdwardsville — 39.25°N, 86.33°WEdwardsville — 39.00°N, 86.25°WEdwardsville — 39.04°N, 86.50°WEdwardsville — 39.33°N, 86.67°WDawan — 33.00°N, 111.00°EDawan — 27.00°N, 108.00°EDawan — 28.00°N, 109.00°EDawan — 32.00°N, 108.00°EDawan — 29.00°N, 109.00°EDawan — 30.00°N, 111.00°EDawan — 31.00°N, 111.00°EDawan — 27.00°N, 101.00°EDawan — 32.00°N, 118.00°EDawan — 31.00°N, 118.00°EDawan — 30.00°N, 116.00°EDawan — 32.00°N, 119.00°EGlen Dean Limestone — 38.70°N, 86.81°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.57°N, 86.71°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.40°N, 86.51°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.25°N, 86.54°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.22°N, 86.55°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.29°N, 86.43°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.15°N, 86.37°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.03°N, 86.53°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.50°N, 86.72°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.40°N, 86.69°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.40°N, 86.59°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.10°N, 86.48°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.10°N, 86.56°WGlen Dean Limestone — 37.90°N, 86.64°WGlen Dean Limestone — 37.48°N, 86.30°WGlen Dean Limestone — 37.83°N, 86.60°WGlen Dean Limestone — 38.89°N, 86.90°WGlen Dean Limestone — 36.94°N, 84.54°WRoss Brook — 45.62°N, 61.97°WLime Creek — 43.05°N, 92.96°WLime Creek — 42.02°N, 93.45°WLime Creek — 43.05°N, 92.97°WSappington — 46.01°N, 112.54°WSappington — 47.37°N, 112.75°WSappington — 47.50°N, 111.55°WSappington — 47.11°N, 110.81°WSappington — 46.83°N, 111.63°WSappington — 46.32°N, 111.59°WSappington — 46.21°N, 111.04°WSappington — 46.13°N, 111.36°WSappington — 45.96°N, 111.42°WSappington — 45.93°N, 111.32°WSappington — 45.90°N, 111.42°WSappington — 45.96°N, 111.54°WSappington — 45.88°N, 111.77°WSappington — 45.88°N, 111.67°WSappington — 45.91°N, 111.96°WSappington — 45.78°N, 111.73°WSappington — 45.78°N, 111.81°WSappington — 45.94°N, 110.98°WSappington — 46.03°N, 111.84°WSappington — 45.46°N, 111.24°WSappington — 45.20°N, 111.96°WSappington — 45.17°N, 111.79°WSappington — 44.90°N, 111.16°WSappington — 44.95°N, 111.10°WSappington — 41.65°N, 111.71°WWaterhouses Limestone — 53.08°N, 1.83°WWaterhouses Limestone — 53.03°N, 1.87°WWaterhouses Limestone — 52.80°N, 2.10°WAmsden — 43.00°N, 107.00°WAmsden — 43.77°N, 110.88°WAmsden — 41.81°N, 107.30°WAmsden — 41.83°N, 107.24°WAmsden — 41.92°N, 107.34°WAmsden — 41.94°N, 107.36°WAmsden — 42.51°N, 108.47°WAmsden — 42.59°N, 108.67°WAmsden — 42.66°N, 108.73°WAmsden — 43.89°N, 110.09°WAmsden — 43.68°N, 109.62°WAmsden — 43.62°N, 109.50°WAmsden — 44.17°N, 106.85°WAmsden — 44.88°N, 107.35°WAmsden — 44.88°N, 107.39°WAmsden — 41.46°N, 106.81°WAmsden — 42.81°N, 110.79°WAmsden — 42.87°N, 110.79°WAmsden — 45.75°N, 112.00°WGolconda — 39.08°N, 86.82°WGolconda — 38.67°N, 86.82°WGolconda — 38.66°N, 86.73°WGolconda — 38.58°N, 86.66°WGolconda — 38.56°N, 86.61°WGolconda — 38.53°N, 86.63°WGolconda — 38.48°N, 86.69°WGolconda — 38.37°N, 86.36°WGolconda — 38.30°N, 86.42°WGolconda — 38.30°N, 86.47°WGolconda — 38.22°N, 86.53°WGolconda — 38.23°N, 86.43°WGolconda — 38.10°N, 86.48°WGolconda — 38.04°N, 86.53°WGolconda — 37.99°N, 86.56°WGolconda — 37.93°N, 86.54°WGolconda — 37.93°N, 86.57°WWenallt — 51.83°N, 3.58°WFort Payne Chert — 36.92°N, 84.96°WFort Payne Chert — 36.54°N, 85.16°WFort Payne Chert — 36.72°N, 85.45°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.65°N, 91.73°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.69°N, 91.63°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.72°N, 91.48°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.45°N, 91.05°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.37°N, 90.90°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.30°N, 90.86°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.26°N, 90.83°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.49°N, 91.32°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.42°N, 91.39°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.51°N, 91.53°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.65°N, 91.27°WLouisiana Limestone — 39.59°N, 91.40°WHeath — 47.33°N, 109.07°WHeath — 46.54°N, 110.43°WHeath — 47.00°N, 109.28°WHeath — 46.93°N, 109.28°WHeath — 46.95°N, 109.15°WHeath — 47.12°N, 109.55°WHeath — 46.92°N, 109.09°WHeath — 46.79°N, 108.87°WHeath — 46.67°N, 109.13°WHeath — 45.94°N, 111.52°W

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The named rock units Rhynchonellata has been recovered from, largest first. Drawn where the rock is now, not where it formed. The read hit its cap, so each count is a floor. 532 further formations hold fewer occurrences each and are not listed. 2,432 occurrences have no formation on record, which is common for older literature.

Found in the same rock

1,572 taxa

The Paleobiology Database records at least 439 sites for Rhynchonellata, and this reads 240 of them. The number is how many of those sites it was catalogued from too. The 24 sharing the most are listed.

This is not a list of everything alive at the time. It is only what has come out of the same ground as this animal and been written down.

Entered from

at least 386 references

Each of the 12,000 occurrences read was entered from one of these publications, ordered by how many each accounts for. This is not a search for papers mentioning the name. That read hit its cap, so each count is a floor. 374 further references are not listed. Entries link to doi.org where the Paleobiology Database holds an identifier, and to its own record where it does not. Relayed as the Paleobiology Database holds them, not checked against what they resolve to.

Media and terms

Media content2

Picture of Rhynchonellata

Credit
Wilson44691
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0
Commercial use
the licence allows it

3D model

Source
Sketchfab
Licence
CC Attribution
Commercial use
cannot be read from the licence given — check the record

Smithsonian Open Access and MorphoSource were not reached for this taxon, so this list is what the others held rather than everything there is.

The description on this site

Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0

This is what the site found, which is not the same as what exists.

Keep going

What may have been alongside itRhynchonelliformea through timeThe world it lived on

Occurrence data from the Paleobiology Database, CC BY 4.0. Williams et al. 1996