Shell microstructure and imprints of cells of the outer mantle epithelium of Monticlarella Wisniewska (Brachiopoda: Rhynchonellida, Norelloidea)

Resumo

The shell microstructure of the genus Monticlarella Wisniewska, 1932 is studied for the first time, with the species M. nova (Karakash, 1907) and M. lineolata (Phillips, 1835) from the Upper Hauterivian–Lower Barremian of Crimea being used as an example. It is shown that there is a strong similarity between the shell structure of this genus and another representative of the family Norellidae, Suiaella, thus supporting the possibility of using the shell microstructure as a diagnostic feature of the family Norellidae.