Discinida Temporal range: Early Cambrian –Recent |
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Scientific classification | |||||||
Kingdom: | Animalia | ||||||
Phylum: | Brachiopoda | ||||||
Subphylum: | Linguliformea | ||||||
Order: | Discinida | ||||||
Superfamilies (and genera) | |||||||
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Discinida is an order of brachiopods comprising the extant superfamily Discinoidea, and the extinct superfamilies Botsfordioidea (early—mid-Cambrian) and Acrotheloidea (early Cambrian–Early Ordovician). It represents a sister taxon to the Lingulids, and is possibly paraphyletic with respect to the Acrotretoids. The group displays a broad range of shell structures, some of which incorporate substantial organic or silicified components.