PALAIOS, 2010, v. 25, p. 196–208 Research Article DOI: 10.2110/palo.2009.p09-119r ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN RHIPIDOMELLA (ORTHIDES, BRACHIOPODA) AND ITS ENDOSKELETOBIONTS AND PREDATORS FROM THE MIDDLE DEVONIAN DUNDEE FORMATION OF OHIO, UNITED STATES RITUPARNA BOSE,1* CHRIS SCHNEIDER,2 P. DAVID POLLY,3 and MARGARET M. YACOBUCCI 4 1Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1001 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA; 2Department of Geology, Energy Resources Conservation Board, Alberta Geological Survey, 402, Twin Atria Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6B 2X3, Canada; 3Department of Geological Sciences, Indiana University, 1001 East 10th Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA; 4Department of Geology, Bowling Green State University, 190 Overman Hall, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403, USA e-mail:
[email protected] ABSTRACT dead shells. Although such boring organisms as clionid sponges are well known from modern shells, fossil examples are encountered less Only the small (2.0 6 0.1 cm) orthide brachiopod Rhipidomella in the frequently or, as Lescinsky (1996) has stated for encrusting organisms Middle Devonian Dundee Formation exposed at Whitehouse Quarry, in general, are overlooked. Taylor and Wilson (2002) used the term Ohio, preserves evidence of interactions with endoskeletobionts and endoskeletobiont for organisms boring into and infesting the surfaces predators (39.6 ,n5 48), as opposed to the slightly larger atrypides, % of organic media (5substrates) whether living or dead; the commonly spiriferides, and stropheodonts