Silurian Brachiopods from the Historic Woolshed Creek Area, Canberra, Australia

Abstract

The brachiopod fauna of seven species from the Canberra Formation at Woolshed Creek near Duntroon, Canberra, is revised. Four species were collected by W.B. Clarke in 1844 and represent the first formal recognition of Silurian rocks in Australia. Referred to European species and genera by de Koninck in 1876, these are now recognised as Mesoleptostrophia (Mesoleptostrophia) oepiki, Morinorhynchus oepiki, Apopentamerus clarkei n.sp. and Atrypa (Atrypa) duntroonensis. The last dominates the fauna, and was first described by Mitchell and Dun in 1920; a Canberra atrypid compared by Strusz in 1985 to the Victorian Early Devonian species Spinatrypa perfl abellata is now known to be A. (A.) duntroonensis. Salopina mediocostata, Hedeina oepiki, and Spirinella caecistriata are also present, together with uncommon trilobites (mostly Batocara mitchelli), corals, gastropods and bryozoans, some of which are illustrated. The fossils occur in repeated crowded layers which probably represent storm deposits. The age is most likely to be Homerian (latest Early Silurian).