Brachiopoda from the Soom Shale Lagerstätte (Upper Ordovician, South Africa)

Within the Soom Shale Lagerstätte of South Africa (Upper Ordovician, Hirnantian), two brachiopod taxa preserve traces of organic tissue. InTrematis, presumed bands of periostracum are preserved on the flanks of the pedicle notch, and clay mineral casts of the pedicle are preserved in many specimens ofKosoidea.Both these genera are organophosphatic-shelled Linguliformea, together with a third genus identified asPlectoglossa. A fourth brachiopod taxon in the fauna belongs within the calcitic-shelled Rhynchonelliformea (Plectothyrella).Kosoidea cedarbergensisis a new species of discinoidean.