Article: Asterozoans from the Ludlow Series (upper Silurian) of Leintwardine, Herefordshire, UK

A diverse, upper Silurian asterozoan fauna of 16 species is described from Leintwardine, Herefordshire. The asterozoans, comprising taxa assigned to the Asteroidea and Ophiuroidea are found within the Lower Leintwardine Formation of lower Ludfordian (upper Ludlow) age, predominantly in rocks interpreted as submarine channel deposits. This paper amplifies and revises Spencer's treatment of the fauna within the broader context of British Palaeozoic Asterozoa in the early twentieth century. Owing to the rarity of asterozoan‐bearing deposits in the Palaeozoic and particularly the Silurian, the Leintwardine fauna is significant for understanding the early diversity of the group, and assessing potential diversification trends. The study is based on extensive museum collections and material collected from the Church Hill starfish beds. New observations are made on previously known taxa: the asteroids Hudsonaster? leintwardensis (Salter) (which is reassigned), Coccaster bulbiferus Spencer, Urasterella cf. ruthveni (Forbes) and Palasterina cf. antiqua, the stenurids Rhopalocoma pyrotechnica Salter, Sturtzaster marstoni (Salter), Sturtzaster colvini (Salter), Bdellacoma vermiformis Salter and Antiquaster magrumi Kesling, and the oegophiurid ophiuroids Lapworthura miltoni (Salter) and Furcaster leptosoma (Salter). The asteroids Doliaster sp. and Palasterina sp. are recognized. New species are the stenurids Bdellacoma fortispina sp. nov. and Antiquaster apertisulcus sp. nov., and the oegophiurid Loriolaster fragilicalceus sp. nov., the latter extending the range of the genus to the Ludlovian. Morphological and taxonomic diversity of this fauna is high, compared to the preceding Silurian (with the stenurids comprising a notably diverse component of the fauna), supporting potential asterozoan diversification during the Wenlockian to Ludlovian.