Origin and early radiation of terebratuloid brachiopods: thoughts provoked by Prorensselaeria and Nanothyris

Abstract

The ontogenies of Prorensselaeria and Nanothyris, described here for the first time, suggest that Cloud's Dielasmatidae are closely affiliated phylogenetically with Cloud's Centronellidae. This is based on the fact that the type species of Nanothyris goes through an initial mutationellinid (Cloud's Dielasmatidae) growth stage before reaching its adult rensselaerinid (Centronellidae) growth stage. The ontogeny of Prorensselaeria requires that it be transferred from the Globithyrinae (Rhipidothyrididae) to the Mutationellinae (Meganteridae [=Cloud's Dielasmatidae = Stehli's Mutationellidae]). Further consideration of their ontogenies permits the transfer of Meganteris, Meganterella, and Reeftonella to the Meganterinae of the Meganteridae. It is recommended, because of the placement of Meganteris in the Meganterinae, that the term Meganteridae replace Mutationellidae, and Mutationellinae be restricted to costate Meganteridae. The subfamily Adreninae of the Meganteridae (=Stehli's Mutationellidae) is proposed to include Adrenia, Cydimia, Micidus, Sturtella, Barbarothyris, and Lingshanella.The information developed here permits one to conclude that there are two kinds of families: 1) those generated by directional selection, involving major adaptive radiations, the type generated by quantum evolution in Simpson's sense; and 2) those generated by minor developmental changes, that do not involve major adaptive radiations, although they do result in morphological and biogeographical differences great enough to warrant the erection of families.