Athyris

{{Short description|Genus of brachiopods}}

{{Italic title}}

{{Taxobox

| fossil_range = Lower Devonian - Triassic

| image = Athyris concentrica lateral.jpg

| image_caption = Athyris concentrica

| regnum = Animalia

| phylum = Brachiopoda

| classis = Rhynchonellata

| ordo = Athyridida

| familia = Athyrididae

| genus = Athyris

| genus_authority = McCoy, 1844

| synonyms = Cliothyris, Spirithyris, Euthyris, Cleidothyris

| subdivision_ranks = species

| subdivision =

{{specieslist

|A. concentrica|(Von Buch, 1834) type = Terebratula concentrica

|A. lamellosa|(Léveillé)

|A. vittata|Hall

}}

}}

Athyris is a brachiopod genus with a subequally biconvex shell that is generally wider than long and a range that extends from the Silurian into the Triassic. Athyris is the type genus for the Athyrididae, which belongs to the articulate order Athyridida. R.C. Moore (1952) gives a shorter range, from the Mid Devonian to the Lower Mississippian.

Alverezites, Bruntonites, and Meristospira are among related genera.

Reassigned species

Some species originally included in Athyris have been reassigned.{{cite book|last= Moore|first= R.C.|year= 1965|title= Brachiopoda|publisher= Geological Society of America/University of Kansas Press|series= Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology|volume= Part H., Volume 1 and 2|location= Boulder, Colorado/Lawrence, Kansas|isbn= 0-8137-3015-5}}

Ecology and taphonomy

Composition: low Mg calcite

Entire body: yes

Adult length: 10 to < 100

Adult width: 10 to < 100

Adult height: 10 to < 100

Folds: minor

Ribbing: minor

Spines: none

Internal reinforcement: none

Locomotion: stationary

Attached: yes

Life habit: low-level epifaunal

Diet: suspension feeder

Vision: blind

File:Athyris concentrica pedunculate valve.jpg|Athyris concentrica, pedicle valve

File:Athyris concentrica brachial valve.jpg|Athyris concentrica, brachial valve

File:Athyris concentrica opening.jpg|Athyris concentrica, anterior view

File:Athyris concentrica hinge.jpg|Athyris concentrica, posterior view

File:Athyris concentrica lateral.jpg|Athyris concentrica, lateral view

References: Aberhan et al. 2004, Hendy 2009

References