Redescription of the Lower Cambrian Lapworthella cornu

Abstract

Stenotheca cornu Wiman, 1903, from the Lower Cambrian of the South Bothnian area (southernmost Gulf of Bothnia), is redescribed and referred to the genus Lapworthella Cobbold, 1921. It is a small, cornute, phosphatic fossil with pronounced growth ridges crested with denticles, about 10–20 per mm. It differs from the Siberian L. dentata Missarzhevskij, 1969, in having less densely spaced denticles. The specimens described as L. dentata from the Strenuella Limestone at Comley, England, should be referred to L. cornu.

Keywords:

• Lapworthella
• Stenotheca
• Lapworthellidae
• problematic fossils
• phosphatic fossils
• erratics
• Olenellid Sandstone
• Lower Cambrian
• South Bothnian area
• southern Gulf of Bothnia
• southeastern Sweden
• N6060 N6200 E2000 E1700