Figure 5
From: Overcoming the fragility – X-ray computed micro-tomography elucidates brachiopod endoskeletons
Gryphus vitreus (Terebratulidae) – ZMB Bra 2261. Ventral valve = top & dorsal valve = bottom. Click here to download a 3D model of G. vitreus (interactive PDF). A) left: Dorsal valve with ventral valve in the background; right: Interior of the dorsal valve, with the short looped brachidium (purple), the endoskeleton of the lophophore and spiculation in the dorsal mantle. B) left: Ventral valve; right: Inside of ventral valve with faint spiculation in the ventral mantle. C) Anterior view (left) and lateral view (right) through transparent shell with ventral valve on top, showing the short looped brachidium (purple) with crural processess (cp) and transverse band (tb), dorsal (sdm) and ventral mantle spiculation (svm). D) Anteroventral view of lophophoral endoskeleton (le) supported by the brachidium with a ventrally arched transverse band (tb), and the axial posteriorly keeled dorsal mantle spiculation (sdm) with star-shaped spicules (max. ~1.3 mm in diameter). E) Posterior view of the dorsal loop (purple) with triangular, and anteriorly converging crural processes (cp) and the lophophoral endoskeleton (le) with a plate-shaped structure and transverse projection (arrow). F) Magnification of faint spiculation within the ventral mantle, showing few axial spicules in a loose network. G) Magnification of spiculation of the lateral lophophoral endoskeleton with elongated spicules, basal crystals (bc) and tentacle bases (tb).