Cornulitid epibionts on brachiopod shells from the Late Ordovician (middle Ashgill) of East China

Abstract

This is the first record of Cornulites sp. as an epibiont on brachiopods from the middle Ashgill, Late Ordovician, of the South China Palaeoplate. Twenty-one cornulitid specimens were found attached to the brachiopod shells of Altaethyrella zhejiangensis and Ovalospira dichotoma. Both the location of cornulitids and their orientation on the brachiopod shells indicate a possible commensal relationship between the cornulitids and their hosts.

Keywords

• cornulitids
• brachiopods
• Ordovician
• South China