New data on some Middle Devonian Athyridida (Brachiopoda) from the Rhenish Massif, Germany

Abstract

Morphology and taxonomy of three Middle Devonian Athyridida from the Eifel Hills are restudied, using materials of type localities. Revisions are based mainly on an analysis of internal shell structures of A. concentrica (Buch, 1834), type species of AthyrisMcCoy, 1844 and the Athyrididae Davidson, 1881 (de facto also of the order Athyridida Dagys, 1974); E. eifliensis (Schnur, 1853), type species of EifyrisStruve, 1992; A. wolfarti (Struve, 1992), type species of AlvarezitesStruve, 1992. According to a handwritten inventory of 1836 (so-called “Quenstedt Catalogue”) the complete syntype series of Terebratula concentricaBuch, 1834 is well preserved in the old collections of the Museum of Natural History in Berlin, comprising in that pioneer time nearly all mid-Devonian Athyridida from the Eifel region. The syntype specimen MB.B.922, most closely fits L. von Buch's original description. In 2002 it was proposed by T. Grunt and D. Weyer as the lectotype of A. concentrica (Buch, 1834). An unnecessary “neotype” of this species, selected in 1996 by F. Alvarez and co-authors, is now invalid and must be abandoned.