Overview
Phylum Brachiopoda (Lamp shells)
Brachiopods, also known as lamp shells, are sessile, marine animals which resemble some bivalve molluscs. Despite the superficial similarities, bivalves and brachiopods are not closely related. Bivalves usually have a plane of symmetry between the shells, whereas brachiopods have a plane of bilateral symmetry perpendicular to the hinge: both brachiopod shells are symmetrical individually, but the shells differ in shape from one another.
Most brachiopods are attached to the substrate by means of a fleshy "stalk" or pedicle, whereas, although some bivalves (such as oysters and mussels) are fixed to the substrate, most are free-moving.
Te Papa holds one of the largest collections of brachiopods in the country, both living and fossil forms (about 3000 specimen lots), which includes most of the name bearing types, and notably the J A Thomson collection.