The superfamily Beyrichiacea (Ostracoda) from the Silurian and Devonian systems of Britain.

A study of the British members of the superfamily Beyrichiacea Matthew, 1886 (Ostracoda) has been undertaken. Nearly all of the taxa are Silurian in age; others are, very rarely, found in the Devonian. Wherever possible, extant type material has been located and a primary revision made. Such work has been augmented by studies on new collections, chiefly made from Central England and the Welsh Borderland. The thesis is arranged on a taxonomic basis; the subfamily is taken as the basis for each major section of the work. Other chapters deal with finds of British valves which exhibit intermediary stages in the metamorphosis of the crumina, and with a new beyrichiacean genus which is unique in its apparent lack of dimorphism. One section discusses the faunal distribution of the British Beyrichiacea and compares it with established successions elsewhere. Most of the techniques used, involve standard micropalaeontological practices. Casting methods, and the use of the scanning electron microscope for illustration of the casts, have proved invaluable for working with mould material, and provide an optomistic sign for the future study of ostracode mould faunas. Representatives of the Craspedobolbininae, Amphitoxotidinae, Treposellinae, Beyrichiinae and Kloedeniinae are present. Over 75 named species and some 15 other forms are described; many of the species and genera are new.