The name "brachiopod" is derived from the Greek words "brachion," meaning "arm," and "pous," meaning "foot." This naming reflects the structure of these marine organisms, which possess two shells (valves) and a unique feeding structure known as a lophophore that resembles arms. Brachiopods are notable for their distinct morphology and have existed for hundreds of millions of years, making them an important subject of study in Paleontology.
Cambrian Period
brachiopod
Brachiopod
The Brachiopod is the official state fossil. After lobbying by students and teachers at a Louisville middle school, the Kentucky State Legislature designated the brachiopod the state fossil in 1986; aspecific species was not named. Though they resemble clams, brachiopods are not related to them. There are hundreds of species of brachiopod found in Paleozoic strata throughout Kentucky. They lived attached to the sea bottom or some object on the sea bottom. A few brachiopods survive in the deep oceans today.
A bivalve. A clam (A brachiopod)
The value of a brachiopod can vary widely based on factors such as its species, rarity, condition, and provenance. Common fossil brachiopods may be worth only a few dollars, while rare or well-preserved specimens can fetch hundreds or even thousands of dollars among collectors. For precise valuation, it's best to consult with a paleontologist or a specialized fossil dealer.
David Alexander Taylor Harper has written: 'The brachiopod faunas of the upper Ardmillan succession (upper Ordovician), Girvan'
Helen Marguerite Muir-Wood has written: 'On the morphology and classification of the Brachiopod suborder Chonetoidea' -- subject(s): Chonetoidea
Thomas W. Amsden has written: 'Late Ordovician through Early Devonian annotated correlation chart and Brachiopod range charts for the Southern Midcontinent region, U.S.A'
Brachipods evolved about 540 million years ago during the Cambrian period. They still exist today, so they also were alive during all of periods between now and the Cambrian.
Janet Waddington has written: 'An introduction to Ontario fossils' -- subject(s): Fossils, Paleontology 'Upper paleozoic brachiopod subfamily spiriferellinae from the Canadian Arctic and its significance for paleogeography, paleoclimatology, and continental drift'
Absolute age differs from relative age in that it states exactly how old something is, instead of how old it is compared to something else. The age of most fossils, including those of brachiopods, are determined using the carbon dating method.