The brachiopod Spinocyrtia granulosa |
scale in cms
The large brachiopod Spinocyrtia granulosa is a distinctive brachiopod which is well represented in the rocks of the Middle Devonian Hamilton Group in New York State. The unusual name refers to the surface of the shell of this brachiopod, which has tiny hairlike spines protruding from it. The spines are rarely preserved (all are broken off the specimen above), but the base of attachment for the spines are easily seen with a magnifying glass. These spine bases give the surface of the shell a "granular" appearance.