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Crystallography of craniid brachiopods by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2007

Alberto Pérez-Huerta
Affiliation:
Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK. E-mail: Alberto.PerezHuerta@ges.gla.ac.uk
Jennifer England
Affiliation:
Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK. E-mail: Alberto.PerezHuerta@ges.gla.ac.uk
Maggie Cusack
Affiliation:
Department of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK. E-mail: Alberto.PerezHuerta@ges.gla.ac.uk

Abstract

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is used to determine the detailed crystallographic orientation of calcite crystals of craniid brachiopods in the context of shell ultrastructure. Sections of shells of two Recent species, Novocrania anomala and Novocrania huttoni, are analysed to provide 3D crystallographic patterns at high spatial resolution. The c-axis of semi-nacre calcite crystals is oriented parallel to the laminae that define the ultrastructure of the secondary layer. This orientation differs from that of rhynchonelliform calcitic brachiopods where the c-axis is perpendicular to the length of morphological fibres and to the shell exterior.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 2008

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