Tremadocian and Floian (Ordovician) linguliformean brachiopods from the Stavelot–Venn Massif (Avalonia; Belgium and Germany)

Abstract

Lower Ordovician linguliformean brachiopods from the Stavelot–Venn Massif (Belgium and Germany) are described systematically for the first time. The material comprises specimens from the Jalhay (Solwaster Member) and Ottré (Les Plattes Member) formations of Tremadocian and Floian ages, respectively. The Solwaster Member yielded a relatively diverse assemblage of nine species of lingulide (e.g. Lingulella lata, Lithobolus sp., Broeggeria sp.) and acrotretide (Acrotreta? sp.) whereas only one siphonotretide species (Celdobolus sp.) is recognised from the base of the Les Plattes Member where it is associated with conodonts of the Paroistodus proteus Zone. The assemblage from the Solwaster Member, although not abundant, is much more diverse than that of the contemporaneous Chevlipont Formation in the Brabant Massif (Thyle Valley, Belgium). Some of the taxa identified in the Stavelot–Venn Massif represent some of the youngest occurrences and first occurrences documented in Avalonia.