Late Ordovician lingulate brachiopods from Estonia

The lingulate brachiopod fauna from the Upper Ordovocian Harju Series of southern Estonia consists of nine taxa, including the new acrotretid species Rhinotreta laeta, Opsiconidion praecursor and Scaphelasma scutula. The unusual brachiopod-dominated assemblage was isolated by acid etching, mainly from a thin aphanitic limestone unit in the lower Pirgu Stage of the Viljandi core. The pitted micro-ornament on the larval and postlarval shell and the deep emarginature (pedicle notch) of the lingulide Rowellella minuta suggests that it belongs to the Zhanatellidae