A new species ofHirnantia(Orthida, Brachiopoda) and its implications for the Hirnantian age of the Ellis Bay Formation, Anticosti Island, eastern Canada

Researchers have identified a new species of the brachiopod genus Hirnantia, H. notiskuani, from the lower Ellis Bay Formation on Anticosti Island, eastern Canada. This discovery, alongside the previously documented H. sagittifera in the uppermost Ellis Bay Formation, confirms that the entire formation spans the Hirnantian age, a critical period marking the Late Ordovician mass extinction. The study integrates brachiopod assemblages with palynological and chemostratigraphic data to refine the geological timeline of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The findings highlight the unique diversity of the Hirnantia fauna in Anticosti, blending elements from both typical Hirnantian and Laurentian epeiric seas.

Zimmt, J. B., & Jin, J. (2022). A new species ofHirnantia(Orthida, Brachiopoda) and its implications for the Hirnantian age of the Ellis Bay Formation, Anticosti Island, eastern Canada. Journal of Paleontology, 97(1), 47–62. https://doi.org/10.1017/jpa.2022.83