Abstract Examples of convergent evolution in unrelated brachiopod groups and within different athyrid taxa are recognised and discussed. The examples include striking external similarities of species of Plicathyris (Lower Devonian, Pragian-Upper Devonian, lower Frasnian), Anathyris (Lower Devonian, Emsian-Upper Devonian, Frasnian), Anathyrella (Upper Devonian, Frasnian), Pinegathyris (Cisuralian, Kungurian-Guadalupian, Wordian), Comelicania (Lopingian, Changhsingian), and Clavigera (Upper Triassic, Norian-Rhaetian). Their lifestyle and the relationship of these brachiopods to their environments are discussed and tentatively interpreted from morphology.
Keywords Brachiopoda; Athyridida; Palaeozoic to early Mesozoic; convergence; homeomorphy
R02025 Received 15 July 2002; accepted 18 November 2002; published 30 April
2003
© Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 33, Number
1, March 2003, pp 189-211
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