''Eospirifer'' is a genus of extinct

brachiopod Brachiopods (), phylum Brachiopoda, are a phylum of trochozoan animals that have hard "valves" (shells) on the upper and lower surfaces, unlike the left and right arrangement in bivalve molluscs. Brachiopod valves are hinged at the rear end, ...

in the class Rhynchonellata (Articulata) and the order

Spiriferida Spiriferida is an order of extinct articulate brachiopod fossils which are known for their long hinge-line, which is often the widest part of the shell. In some genera (e.g. '' Mucrospirifer'') it is greatly elongated, giving them a wing-like ap ...

. Their

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

s occur most commonly in marine calcareous, microbialitic mudstones with extensive

mudcrack Mudcracks (also known as mud cracks, desiccation cracks or cracked mud) are sedimentary structures formed as muddy sediment dries and contracts.Jackson, J.A., 1997, ''Glossary of Geology'' (4th ed.), American Geological Institute, Alexandria, VA, ...

s or shelly

packstone Under the Dunham classification (Dunham, 1962Dunham, R.J. (1962) Classification of carbonate rocks according to depositional texture. In: Classification of Carbonate Rocks (Ed. W.E. Ham), Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol. Mem., 1, 108–121.) system of limest ...

s, generally mid-

Silurian The Silurian ( ) is a geologic period and system spanning 24.6 million years from the end of the Ordovician Period, at million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Devonian Period, Mya. The Silurian is the shortest period of the Paleozoi ...

to early-

Devonian The Devonian ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era, spanning 60.3 million years from the end of the Silurian, million years ago (Mya), to the beginning of the Carboniferous, Mya. It is named after Devon, England, w ...

in age.

Select species

*''Eospirifer radiatus''

*''Eospirifer dasifiliformis'' *''Eospirifer lachrymose'' *''Eospirifer praecursor''

References

Silurian brachiopods Devonian brachiopods Prehistoric brachiopod genera Paleozoic brachiopods of Asia Silurian first appearances Early Devonian genus extinctions Fossils of Georgia (U.S. state) Paleontology in New Hampshire Paleozoic life of Ontario Paleozoic life of the Northwest Territories Paleozoic life of Quebec {{Brachiopod-stub