Torifera

Torifera is a genus of fossil brachiopods belonging to the order Orthida. These extinct marine animals existed during the Ordovician period. The defining characteristic of Torifera brachiopods is the presence of a prominent, often internally complex, cardinal process structure within the brachial valve. This structure is involved in the articulation and muscle attachment within the shell. Torifera shells are typically sub-equally biconvex and possess a well-developed interarea on both valves. Surface ornamentation generally consists of fine radial ribs. The genus is significant in the study of early brachiopod evolution and paleoecology.