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'Terebratulids' are one of the only two living orders of articulate brachiopods, the other being the Rhynchonellida. The name may be derived from the Latin "terebra", meaning "hole-borer". The perceived resemblance of terebratulid shells to ancient Roman oil lamps gave the brachiopods their common name "lamp shell".
Terebratulids typically have biconvex shells that are usually ovoid to circular in outline. They can be either smooth or have radial ribbing. The lophophore support is loop shaped in contrast to the spiralia of similar looking spiriferids. Terebratulids are also distinguished by a very short hinge line, and the shell is punctate in microstructure. There is a circular pedicle opening, or foramen, located in the beak.
Terebratulids may have evolved from Atrypids during the early or Middle Silurian. Early genera were almost circular to elongate-oval, with smooth or finely costate shells. During the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods, many shells became coarsely plicate.

Contents

Classification

Classification

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style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); font-size: 110%;">Suborder Terebratellidina
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Kraussinoidea
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Laqueoidea
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Megathyridoidea
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Platidioidea
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Terebratelloidea
style="color: rgb(30, 2, 183);">Family Dallinidae Family Ecnomiosidae Family Terebratellidae Family Thaumatosiidae
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Zeillerioidea
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Bouchardioidea
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Gwynioidea
style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily Kingenoidea
Superfamily uncertain
style="color: rgb(30, 2, 183);">Family Tythothyrididae

border="4" cellpadding="3" width="240px"> align="center"> style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); font-size: 110%;">Suborder Terebratulidina

style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily
Cancellothyroidea

style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily
Dyscoloidea

style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Superfamily
Terebratuloidea

style="color: rgb(30, 2, 183);">Family
Gryphidae

Family
Tichosidae

Family
Terebratulidae

style="background-color: rgb(204, 204, 204);" border="4"
cellpadding="3" width="250px"> style="color: rgb(42, 95, 63);">† Extinct Superfamilies †

style="color: rgb(30, 2, 183);">Superfamily Dielasmatoidea

Superfamily
Cryptonelloidea

Superfamily
Loboidothyridoidea

Superfamily
Stryingocephaloidea