The first Jurassic thecideide brachiopods from the Middle East: A new species of Moorellina from the Upper Callovian of Hamakhtesh Hagadol, southern Israel

Abstract

The Matmor Formation is a set of late Callovian marls and limestones exposed in the Matmor Hills, Hamakhtesh Hagadol, southern Israel. It was deposited during a regional transgression which produced patch reefs across a shallow carbonate platform in this area. The thecideide brachiopods described here were part of a diverse sclerozoan community which encrusted the calcareous surfaces of sponges and corals. These brachiopods represent a new, very small species of Moorellina and the only thecideide brachiopod found in the Jurassic deposits of the Middle East. A gall-like structure interpreted as the trace of the parasitic (ascothoracid?) infestation has been recorded in one specimen of Moorellina negevensis sp. nov.