Cyclothyris bitririca
- 演化之聲
- Mar 12
- 2 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Age
Cretaceous（Albian）
101 Ma
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Brachiopoda
Class: Rhynchonellata
Order: Rhynchonellida
Family: Cyclothyrididae
Genus: Cyclothyris
Species: Cyclothyris bitririca
Morphological description
Cyclothyris bitririca is a medium-sized member of the rhynchonellid brachiopods. Both the ventral and dorsal valves are convex, with the shell reaching its maximum width and thickness near the middle of the shell length. The dorsal valve bears folds, and the surfaces of both valves display approximately 38 to 42 rounded ribs. The beak is small and nearly erect, and a small circular foramen is present, allowing passage of the pedicle.
Etymology
The genus name Cyclothyris derives from the Ancient Greek words kyklos meaning “circle” and thyris meaning “opening” or “aperture.”
The species name refers to Bitrir, the ancient name of the Muslim settlement of Petrer, indicating that numerous fossils of this species have been discovered in the surrounding region.
Biological description
Fossils of Cyclothyris bitririca were discovered in the Sierra del Cid of Alicante Province in southeastern Spain, within the Valencian Community. A total of 92 well-preserved specimens have been recorded, with the holotype designated as specimen SC1001.
This species closely resembles Cyclothyris africana in overall morphology, but the latter shows broader folds and ribs that are more deeply incised along their margins.
The stratigraphic age of Cyclothyris bitririca lies close to the boundary between the Albian and Cenomanian stages of the Cretaceous. However, stratigraphic analysis together with associated index fossils indicates that the species most likely belongs to the upper Albian stage.
（Author: Bai Leng）
Reference
Baeza-Carratalá, J. F., Berrocal-Casero, M., García Joral, F. (2023). Brachiopods from the Albian–Cenomanian transition (Cretaceous) of the Eastern Prebetic (South-Iberian paleomargin). Cretaceous Research.
+38.5, -0.5
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