Permian Brachiopod Fossils from Western Australia with 34+ Species

Over 3,000 well-preserved fossil specimens of the brachiopod super-family Productacea from the Permian period in Western Australia. The collection represents at least 34 species across three major sedimentary basins covering approximately 150,000 square miles. The dataset, published by the Australian Ocean Data Network, includes detailed study of shell structure, musculature, and living position.

Use Cases

• Taxonomic classification and comparison of brachiopod species based on described genera like Aulosteges and Dictyoclostus.
• Analysis of shell structure and functional morphology based on features like the attachment scar and trail mentioned in the description.
• Paleogeographic distribution studies based on occurrence data across the Canning, Carnarvon, and Irwin Basins.
• Stratigraphic correlation of Permian marine sediments using fossil abundance data.

Strengths

• Collection of over 3,000 specimens, most described as well preserved.
• Covers at least 34 species across multiple genera, providing taxonomic breadth.
• Geographic coverage spans three major sedimentary basins in Western Australia.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Data is provided in PDF/HTML formats, which may require extraction for computational analysis.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Scientific study of a physical fossil collection.

Time Range

Permian period

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-10 16:43:38.570477; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Western Australia, specifically the Canning, Carnarvon, and Irwin Basins.