Bryozoan and Brachiopods

Neither group of animals is abundant. Pieces of the brachiopod, Discinisca lugubris, the only brachiopod described from Maryland's Miocene beds, can be found in most siftings but whole specimens are rare. I have never knowingly found a ventral valve, only dorsal valves.

A number of bryozoa species were described in the 1904 survey by the Maryland Geological Survey but no one has written generally about them since.

Brachiopod

Discinisca lugubris Conrad Notice the banding.	Discinisca lugubris Conrad

Bryozoan
Schizoporella sp.	Schizoporella sp.	Schizoporella sp.	Palmicellaria convoluta	Palmicellaria convoluta
When split apart, these two oyster shells had an encrusting bryozoa between them.	This is the underside of a portion of the colony on the left oyster.	This is the top side of a portion of the colony on the right oyster.	This bryozoa both encrusts Turritella plebia and forms thin sheets. The sheets consist of two layers of individual animals back to back. The second image is a closeup of a T. plebia encrusted with the byrozoa.