Brachiopods from the Upper Cretaceous chalk of Mielnik (Eastern Poland)

Abstract

The Upper Cretaceous chalk of Mielnik (Eastern Poland) yields a rich assemblage of brachiopods that contains 23 species, the two genera and three species of which are described new: Cryptoporella antiqua gen. et sp. n., Leptothyrellopsis polonicus gen. et sp. n., and Dalligas mielnicensis sp. n. Associated are diverse species of the genera Lingula Bruguiere, Terebratulina d'Orbigny, Rugia Steinich, Argyrotheca Dall, and Kingena Davidson. The recognized assemblage is characterized by small-sized, minute forms. Stratigraphically, it indicates the presence of the brachiopod zones 2 and 3 of Surlyk, corresponding to the lowermost ·part of the Lower Maastrichtian.·