Fitzroyella, Veevers, 1959

Baliński, Andrzej, 2006, Brachiopods and their response to the Early-Middle Frasnian biogeochemical perturbations on the South Polish carbonate shelf, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 51 (4), pp. 647-678 : 655-656

Fitzroyella alata Biernat, 1969

Fig. 7C .

1969 Fitzroyella alata n. sp.; Biernat 1969: 377–386, pl. 1: 1–9, pl. 2: 1–4, pl. 3: 1–12, text−figs. 1–5.

1971 Fitzroyella alata Biernat, 1969; Biernat 1971: 144, pl. 2: 5.

1978 Fitzroyella alata Biernat, 1969; Struve 1978: 344–45, pl. 1: 1–5.

2003 Fitzroyella alata Biernat, 1969; Biernat in Baliński et al. 2003: 206, pl.155: 6, 7.

Material.—Three complete and two fragmentarily preserved shells were recovered from set C of Wietrznia Id−W and Wietrznia II sections.

Remarks.—This is a very rare species in set C of Wietrznia sections. All three complete shells at hand are small attaining less than 6 mm in length. They show the same subpentagonal shell outline with alate hinge margin and strong radial ribbing as type specimens of Fitzroyella alata Biernat, 1969.

The recovery of Fitzroyella at Wietrznia is important as the genus seems to be rather rare in Poland. As for now only one species, i.e., Fitzroyella alata Biernat, 1969 was described from the Frasnian of Kowala and Kadzielnia (ca. 10 and 2 km from Wietrznia, respectively; see Biernat 1969). In Germany and Australia the genus was widely used for correlation of the Late Givetian–Frasnian deposits ( Veevers 1959; Heinke 1978; Struve 1978; Sartenaer 1985; Brice 2000).

Occurrence.— The studied specimens were found in set C of the Wietrznia Id−W and II sections representing Palmatolepis transitans conodont Zone. Three specimens most probably representing the species were also recovered by G. Racki (personal communication 2005) from Early Frasnian deposits at Górno (ca. 12 km east of Wietrznia ). Formerly, the species was described by Biernat (1969) from the Early Frasnian biostromal limestone of Kowala and Kadzielnia (Holy Cross Mountains) .

Figures

Fig. 7. Rhynchonellid brachiopods from the Frasnian of Wietrznia and Dębnik. A, B. Hypothyridina sp., ZPAL Bp 60/28 (A) and GIUS 4−273 Wt/IM−4 (B), two complete shells from the middle Wietrznia Beds of Wietrznia Ie and Id−W, respectively, in dorsal (A1, B1), ventral (A2, B2), lateral (A3, B3), posterior (A4, B4), and anterior (A5, B5) views. C. Fitzroyella alata Biernat, 1969, GIUS 4−273 Wt/GR−1, complete shell from the middle Wietrznia Beds of Wietrznia Id−W. D, E. Fitzroyella sp. from the middle Wietrznia Beds of Wietrznia Id−W. D. Incomplete specimen GIUS 4−273 Wt/IM−7 in dorsal (D1) and ventral (D2) views. E. Complete shell GIUS 4−273 Wt/GR−2 in dorsal (E1), ventral (E2), lateral (E3), posterior (E4), and anterior (E5) views. F, G. Plionoptycherhynchus cracoviensis (Gürich, 1903) from the Nodular Limestone (Palmatolepis hassi Zone) of Dębnik. F. ZPAL Bp 60/17, fragment of a large shell in ventral view. G. ZPAL Bp 60/4, complete shell in dorsal (G1), ventral (G2), lateral (G3), posterior (G4), and anterior (G5) views. H. Phlogoiderhynchus polonicus (Roemer, 1866) from the middle Wietrznia Beds of Wietrznia Id−W, shell GIUS 4−273 Wt/IM−8 in dorsal (H1), ventral (H2), lateral (H3), posterior (H4), and anterior (H5) views.