A New Siphonotretid Brachiopod from the Silurian of Central-Western New South Wales, Australia

A new genus and species of Silurian siphonotretid brachiopod, Orbaspina gelasinus n.gen. and n.sp., is described from the late Llandovery (amorphognathoides Zone) to early Wenlock (ranuliformis Zone) Boree Creek Formation of central-western New South Wales, Australia. This represents the first confirmed report of a post-Ordovician siphonotretid from east Gondwana. Other supposed post-Ordovician siphonotretid occurrences are reviewed. Higher-level taxonomic relationships between the Siphonotretida and other linguliformean groups are discussed; based on present knowledge, the siphonotretids appear closest to the lingulellotretids or dysoristids