Spirifer bisulcatus Sowerby

Lower Carboniferous, Carboniferous Limestone, Asbian

Florencecourt, Co. Fermanagh

K24479

largest 25 mm across

The spiriferid brachiopods first appeared in the late Ordovician (about 440 million years ago) and were one of the most distinctive brachiopod groups until their extinction in the early Jurassic (about 180 million years ago). There are many species of Spirifer in the Carboniferous Limestone of Ireland, with some of them considerably larger than this coarse-ribbed form.