ORTHID Meaning and
Definition
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Orthid is a term commonly used in the field of paleontology to refer to a group of extinct brachiopods, which are marine invertebrates with a bivalve shell. Brachiopods first appeared during the Cambrian period and were particularly abundant during the Paleozoic era, but still exist today in much smaller numbers. The Orthid brachiopods flourished during the Ordovician and Silurian periods, displaying a wide diversity in their shell shapes and structures.
These brachiopods typically had shells that were divided into two distinct valves, with one valve being slightly larger than the other. The larger valve, known as the pedicle valve, was typically flat or slightly concave and served as an anchor for the organism, allowing it to attach to the substrate using a muscular stalk called a pedicle. The smaller valve, known as the brachial valve, was typically more convex and contained an opening for the organism's feeding organ, known as the lophophore.
Orthids are distinguished by several diagnostic features, including a distinctive hinge line where the two valves articulate and a well-developed internal structure called the brachidium, which supported the lophophore. They are often found as fossils, aiding in stratigraphic analysis and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Studying Orthid brachiopods provides valuable insights into the evolution, biodiversity, and paleoecology of ancient marine ecosystems during the Paleozoic era.
Common Misspellings for ORTHID
- irthid
- krthid
- lrthid
- prthid
- 0rthid
- 9rthid
- oethid
- odthid
- ofthid
- otthid
- o5thid
- o4thid
- orrhid
- oryhid
- or6hid
- or5hid
- ortgid
- ortbid
- ortnid
- ortjid
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