''Salterella'' is an enigmatic Cambrian genus with a small, conical, calcareous shell that appears to be

septate In biology, a septum (Latin for ''something that encloses''; plural septa) is a wall, dividing a cavity or structure into smaller ones. A cavity or structure divided in this way may be referred to as septate. Examples Human anatomy * Interatr ...

, but is rather filled with stratified laminar deposits. The shell contains grains of sediment, which are obtained selectively (with a preference for denser grains) by a manner also observed in foramanifera. The genus was established by

Elkanah Billings Elkanah Billings (May 5, 1820 – June 14, 1876) is often referred to as Canada's first paleontologist. Billings was born on a farm by the Rideau River outside Bytown ( Ottawa), now known as Billings Estate. His parents were named Lamira Dow ...

in 1861, and was named after the English palaeontologist John William Salter. The genus is known from multiple locations worldwide, such as

Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic Canada, Atlantic region. The province comprises t ...

and

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

in Canada, Svalbard, the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland S ...

and

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

. The related fossil genus '' Volborthella'' was formerly placed in synonymy with ''Salterella'' by Ellis L. Yochelson in 1983, due to the similarities between the two genera (though ''Volborthella'' notably lacks an outer calcareous shell). However, ''Volborthella'' was later accepted as a separate genus again by Yochelson & Kisselev in 2003. Both genera are currently placed in the Salterellidae family in the phylum Agmata.

Species

At least two species of ''Salterella'' are known: * †''Salterella conulata''

Clark Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...

, 1924: A species that is widespread in eastern North America. * †''Salterella maccullochi'' ( Murchison, 1859) (Synonyms: ''S. mexicana'' Lochman, 1952; ''S. expansa'' Poulsen, 1927; ''S. rugosa''

Billings Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Met ...

, 1861, ''Serpulites maccullochi'' Murchison, 1859) The following species placed in the genus are poorly known: * †''Salterella pulchella''

, 1861 * †''Salterella acervulosa'' Resser & Howell, 1938: A species that is abundant in the Kinzers Formation in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, but specimens of it are not well preserved. * †''Salterella curvata'' Shaler & Foerste, 1888: A species known only from the Hoppin Formation in

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...

. It was described from a single specimen, which has been lost. The following species are doubtfully placed in the genus: * ''Salterella'' (?) ''orientalis'' Kobayashi, 1935: A species described from a single specimen found in

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula and sharing a land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed by the Yellow Sea, while its eas ...

. Associated with ''

Obolella ''Obolella'' is a genus of Cambrian The Cambrian Period ( ; sometimes symbolized Ꞓ) was the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, and of the Phanerozoic Eon. The Cambrian lasted 53.4 million years from the end of the preceding E ...

'' cf. ''asiatica'' and a fragment of a trilobite (possibly '' Redlichia''). Other: * ''Salterella howitti'' Chapman, 1923: Found in Phosphate Hill Formation,

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, Australia

Former species

The following species were formerly placed in ''Salterella'', and have since been moved to other genera: * †''"Salterella" obtusa''

, 1861: This

Middle Cambrian Middle or The Middle may refer to: * Centre (geometry), the point equally distant from the outer limits. Places * Middle (sheading), a subdivision of the Isle of Man * Middle Bay (disambiguation) * Middle Brook (disambiguation) * Middle Creek ...

species was moved to the genus ''

Hyolithes Hyoliths are animals with small conical shells, known as fossils from the Palaeozoic era. They are at least considered as lophotrochozoan, and possibly being lophophorates, a group which includes the brachiopods, while others consider them as be ...

'' d'Eichwald, 1840, and renamed ''Hyolithes billingsi'' Walcott, 1886. It was later moved again to '' Linevitus'' Syssoiev, 1958. * †''"Salterella" billingsi'' Safford, 1869: A

Middle Ordovician The Ordovician ( ) is a geologic period and system, the second of six periods of the Paleozoic Era. The Ordovician spans 41.6 million years from the end of the Cambrian Period million years ago (Mya) to the start of the Silurian Period Mya. Th ...

species of ''Salterella'' from the Murfreesboro Limestone formation in

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

described by James M. Safford in 1869. However, T. H. Clark considered it distinct from other ''Salterella'' fossils, creating the genus '' Polylopia'' Clark, 1925 to encompass it. * †''"Salterella" hardmani'' Etheridge ''in'' Foord, 1890: This Middle Cambrian species was described from the Ord Basin of

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Aust ...

, Australia. It was moved to the genus '' Biconulites'' Teilhard, 1931. Much later, the genus '' Guduguwan'' Kruse, 1990 was created to contain it. * †''"Salterella" planoconvexa'' Tate, 1892: A species described from

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

. It belongs in

Hyolitha Hyoliths are animals with small conical shells, known as fossils from the Palaeozoic era. They are at least considered as lophotrochozoan, and possibly being lophophorates, a group which includes the brachiopods, while others consider them as be ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7406087 Prehistoric animal genera Enigmatic prehistoric animal genera Paleozoic life of Newfoundland and Labrador Paleozoic life of Quebec Taxa named by Elkanah Billings

Species

Former species

See also

References