NO. 2 BRACHIOPOD SUPERPAMILY STENOSCISMATACEA GRANT 157 



nearly straight angle ; beak slightly swollen, apex within pedicle valve. 



Pedicle valve interior with dental plates forming large, boat-shaped 

 spondylium, lying nearly on valve floor in posterior, elevated farther 

 anteriorly on rather high median septum ; lateral buttress plates from 

 spondylium to valve walls doubtfully present (see discussion, below). 



Brachial valve interior with large spoon-shaped camarophorium 

 elevated on high septum ; other internal details unknown. 



Type species. — Camerophoria kutorgae Tschernyschev, T., 1902, 

 Mem. Com. Geol. vol. 16, No. 2, p. 90 and 500, pi. 22, figs. 16-17, fig. 

 28, by original designation of Stepanov, 1937. 



Comparisons. — Septacamera is characterized by its large size, strong 

 costae that begin at the beaks, flattened or gently arcuate anterior sur- 

 face, and complete lack of stolidium. It resembles some large species 

 of Stenoscisma Conrad, differing in its greater thickness, wedge- 

 shaped profile, flattened rather than acute angle of meeting of the 

 valves at the anterior, and by lack of a stolidium. It is most similar 

 to Torynechus Cooper and Grant, differing in its broader and stronger 

 costae that neither bifurcate nor intercalate, its less flattened anterior 

 surface, entire lack of a stolidium, and possibly by the lateral buttress 

 plates on the spondylium of some species. 



Discussion. — The morphology and taxonomic position of Septa- 

 camera are uncertain at present. New evidence bearing on these ques- 

 tions is unavailable because specimens from Russia could not be 

 obtained for study. Analysis of the literature seems to point to the con- 

 clusions that (1) Septacamera is a valid genus; and (2) it belongs to 

 the Stenoscismatacea. 



Stepanov (1937, p. 149) stated that the major difference between 

 Septacamera and Camarophoria (i.e. Stenoscisma) is in transverse 

 buttress plates that extend from the distal sides of the dental plates, 

 bracing the spondylium to the valve walls. Other workers have not 

 observed these buttress plates. Tschernyschev (1902, text-fig. 28) pre- 

 sented a clear illustration of a specimen of the type species, Camaro- 

 phoria kutorgae Tschernyschev, broken longitudinally along the mid- 

 line to show the spondylium and camarophorium. No transverse 

 buttress plates are apparent. 



Licharev (1960, text-fig. 290) illustrated a cross-section through 

 the beak area of a specimen identified as Septocamera kutorgae 

 (Tschernyschev) in which little other than a median septum duplex in 

 the brachial valve is apparent. The walls and internal structures of the 

 specimen seem to have been thickened, obscuring all details of the 

 spondylium, or perhaps the section was cut in the thick posterior part 

 of the shell. In either case, evidence for the buttress plates is incon- 

 clusive. However, Licharev classified Septacamera with Rotaia Rzhon- 



