scholarly journals Origin of the Late Ordovician Lepidocyclus brachiopod fauna in North America and its biogeographic significance

1992 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 149-149
Author(s):  
Jisuo Jin

Three rhynchonellid brachiopod genera, Hiscobeccus, Lepidocyclus, and Hypsiptycha, are the most diagnostic elements of the Lepidocyclus fauna of North America in Late Ordovician time. These are characterized by relatively large, strongly biconvex to globular shells with coarse imbricating growth lamellae and, internally, with septiform cardinal processes in brachial valves. Among the three genera, Hiscobeccus appears the earliest, now known from rocks of late Trentonian-Edenian age in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and Mackenzie Mountains. Morphologically, Hiscobeccus is distinguished from the other two genera by its open delthyrium in the pedicle valve. Early forms of Hiscobeccus show close morphological similarity to Rhynchotrema in their non-globular biconvex shells covered by strong growth lamellae only in the anterior portions. It has been suggested that Hiscobeccus evolved from the Rhynchotrema wisconsinense stock through increase in shell size, globosity, and strength of growth lamellae. Earliest species of Rhynchotrema has been documented convincingly from rocks of early Trentonian age, and the derivation of Hiscobeccus most likely took place during the mid-Trentonian. Lepidocyclus and Hypsiptycha evolved from either Rhynchotrema or Hiscobeccus by developing a pair of deltidial plates covering the delthyrium.Rhynchotrema and other rhynchonellids that evolved before mid-Trentonian time are common to the North American (Laurentian) and the Siberia-Kazakhstan paleocontinents. In contrast, Hiscobeccus, Lepidocyclus, and Hypsiptycha that evolved after the mid-Trentonian are virtually restricted to Laurentia. Therefore, Rhynchotrema marked the last successful intercontinental migration of rhynchonellids during their Llandeilian-Caradocian cosmopolitanism. The pronounced provincialism of the North American Lepidocyclus fauna may have been caused by a number of factors. Facies control is not likely the explanation because these rhynchonellids occur in nearly all the inland and marginal platform seas of Laurentia and commonly are found together in the same types of rocks. Plate tectonics and sea-level changes are considered major causes. The Ordovician rhynchonellids lived in shallow marine (intertidal-subtidal) environments and were incapable of crossing vast, deep oceanic barriers because of their sedentary mode of life and short-lived motile larval stages. The widening of the ocean between North America and Siberia, coupled with high sea-level stand, may have created a sufficiently wide oceanic barrier to interrupt faunal mixing between the two paleocontinents by late Trentonian time. Moreover, the rise in sea level would have resulted in the disappearance of island faunas, which could have served as stepping stones for intercontinental migration of shallow-water benthic faunas during low sea-level stand.

2000 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 444-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueping Ma ◽  
Jed Day

The cyrtospiriferid brachiopod genus Tenticospirifer Tien, 1938, is revised based on restudy of the type species from the Frasnian (Late Devonian) of the Russian Platform. As revised the genus includes cyrtospiriferid species with pyramidal ventral valves, catacline ventral interareas, a narrow delthyrium, few sinal plications, and lack a median dorsal septum and pseudodeltidium. All species retained in the genus are of Givetian and Frasnian age. All Famennian age species described from South China and North America are rejected from the genus. It appears that Tenticospirifer evolved during the early Givetian in western Europe and remained endemic to that region during the remainder of the Givetian. Successive migrations of Tenticospirifer from eastern Laurussia to North America, then to South China and possibly Australia, coincided with middle and late Frasnian eustatic sea level rises, respectively. The North American species Spirifera cyrtinaformis Hall and Whitfield, 1872, and related species identified as Tenticospirifer by North American workers, are reassigned to Conispirifer Lyashenko, 1985. Its immigration to and widespread dispersal in carbonate platforms of western Laurussia, northern Gondwana and tropical island arcs (?) coincided with a major late Frasnian eustatic sea level rise. The new family Conispiriferidae is proposed with Conispirifer Lyashenko, 1985, selected as the type genus. The new family also includes the new genus Pyramidaspirifer with Platyrachella alta Fenton and Fenton, 1924, proposed as the type species. The affinity of the new family remains uncertain pending restudy of key genera currently included in the Superfamily Cyrtospiriferoidea. Available data from the Devonian brachiopod literature indicate that species of Pyramidaspirifer are restricted to late Frasnian deposits of central and western North America.


1895 ◽  
Vol 27 (9) ◽  
pp. 263-268
Author(s):  
A. Radcliffe Grote

Of the three families of Saturnina found in North America, only the Saturnidæ occurs in the European fauna. Conversely no analogue of the European Aglia tau* has been found in America. In a very interesting paper, Ann. Mag. N. Hist., Vol. XI., 1893, Dr. Packard says of this species: “Aglia appears to be a Ceratocampid in its earlier larval stages, the caterpillar in its final stage, however, and the moth being closely related to the Saturnians”. This being so, it is clear that Aglia cannot be classed as a subfamily of Cithernidœ, from which the habit and struture of the moth and the mde of pupation seem to exclude it.


2006 ◽  
Vol 143 (5) ◽  
pp. 657-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
STIG M. BERGSTRÖM ◽  
MATTHEW M. SALTZMAN ◽  
BIRGER SCHMITZ

The most prominent of the two major global δ13C excursions in the Ordovician, the Hirnantian δ13C excursion (HICE), which is previously recorded from the uppermost Ordovician in a few sections in Nevada, Quebec, Arctic Canada, Baltoscandia, Scotland and China, is documented for the first time from the North American Midcontinent. Samples through the Girardeau Limestone and Leemon Formation in Missouri and Illinois show elevated δ13C values of +4‰ to +5‰. Although not determined precisely, the beginning of the HICE is likely to be in the upper part of the Orchard Creek Shale, and it ends in the upper Leemon Formation. Being extraordinarily useful chronostratigraphically, the presence of the HICE makes it possible to provide a firm dating of the study interval, whose age has long been controversial. Comparison between the study sections and coeval HICE sequences in North America and Europe show striking similarities, especially in sea-level history, indicating that major local lowstands reflect eustatic sea-level changes. A comparison with Hirnantian diamictite successions in North and South Africa and Argentina suggests that these lowstands correspond to two major Gondwanan glacial episodes.


Paleobiology ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Sheehan

The extinction of endemic brachiopods in North America at the end of the Ordovician and recolonization by European species has been related to glacio-eustatic lowering of sea level which disrupted conditions in epicontinental seas. North American species may have been narrowly adapted to relatively stable conditions of broad, tropical shallow seas. European invaders may have been less specialized because they were adapted to conditions in both the open ocean and in narrow European epicontinental seas. Being less narrowly adapted, European species probably were better able to cope with changing environmental conditions than were North American species.During the Lower and Middle Llandovery, shallow water, low diversity communities of Pentamerus Community depth were unstable and characterized by repeated extinctions and invasions. Following the crisis at the Ordovician-Silurian boundary 3 to 5 million years were needed to reestablish communities that were persistent in geologic time.


1964 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1105-1126 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Yamamoto ◽  
G. B. Wiggins

Three species of the leptocerid caddisfly genus Mystacides are represented in North America: M. sepulchralis (Walk.), M. alafimbriata H.-G., and M. longicornis (L.). Study of a considerable amount of new material of these species has shown, particularly in the larval and pupal stages, that certain of the characters distinguishing the species, and even the genus itself, have been misinterpreted in the past. Variation in the larval stages has also made identification of the species difficult with existing keys.This comparative study of the larvae, pupae, and adults of the three species has been undertaken to overcome these deficiencies, and to bring together the systematic data now available on these widespread caddisflies. Keys to the species are provided for larvae, pupae, and both adult sexes, and the diagnostic characters illustrated. Available records have been brought together, and maps of the known distribution of each species prepared. Field observations on behavior are noted. The phylogenetic relationships of North American and Eurasian species are discussed.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1278
Author(s):  
Michael Glenn O’Connor ◽  
Amjad Horani ◽  
Adam J. Shapiro

Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare, under-recognized disease that affects respiratory ciliary function, resulting in chronic oto-sino-pulmonary disease. The PCD clinical phenotype overlaps with other common respiratory conditions and no single diagnostic test detects all forms of PCD. In 2018, PCD experts collaborated with the American Thoracic Society (ATS) to create a clinical diagnostic guideline for patients across North America, specifically considering the local resources and limitations for PCD diagnosis in the United States and Canada. Nasal nitric oxide (nNO) testing is recommended for first-line testing in patients ≥5 years old with a compatible clinical phenotype; however, all low nNO values require confirmation with genetic testing or ciliary electron micrograph (EM) analysis. Furthermore, these guidelines recognize that not all North American patients have access to nNO testing and isolated genetic testing is appropriate in cases with strong clinical PCD phenotypes. For unresolved diagnostic cases, referral to a PCD Foundation accredited center is recommended. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide insight on the North American PCD diagnostic process, to enhance the understanding of and adherence to current guidelines, and to promote collaboration with diagnostic pathways used outside of North America.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (11) ◽  
pp. 4585-4594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatsuo Suzuki ◽  
Masayoshi Ishii

Abstract Using historical ocean hydrographic observations, decadal to multidecadal sea level changes from 1951 to 2007 in the North Pacific were investigated focusing on vertical density structures. Hydrographically, the sea level changes could reflect the following: changes in the depth of the main pycnocline, density gradient changes across the pycnocline, and modification of the water mass density structure within the pycnocline. The first two processes are characterized as the first baroclinic mode. The changes in density stratification across the pycnocline are sufficiently small to maintain the vertical profile of the first baroclinic mode in this analysis period. Therefore, the first mode should represent mainly the dynamical response to the wind stress forcing. Meanwhile, changes in the composite of all modes of order greater than 1 (remaining baroclinic mode) can be attributed to water mass modifications above the pycnocline. The first baroclinic mode is associated with 40–60-yr fluctuations in the subtropical gyre and bidecadal fluctuations of the Kuroshio Extension (KE) in response to basin-scale wind stress changes. In addition to this, the remaining baroclinic mode exhibits strong variability around the recirculation region south of the KE and regions downstream of the KE, accompanied by 40–60-yr and bidecadal fluctuations, respectively. These fluctuations follow spinup/spindown of the subtropical gyre and meridional shifts of the KE shown in the first mode, respectively. A lag correlation analysis suggests that interdecadal sea level changes due to water mass density changes are a secondary consequence of changes in basin-scale wind stress forcing related to the ocean circulation changes associated with the first mode.


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