Brachiopods are a seperate phylum. Like Crinoids, there are only a few hundred species today but in the past they were much more common and diverse.

The name Brachiopod actually means arm foot. Brachiopods are also called "Lampshells" In the case of this particular specimen, the term "fan shell" might be more descriptive, but that name belongs to a type of bivavle mollusc.

Although they resemble bivalve molluscs, brachiopods are actually quite different.

Modern Brachiopods measure about 5 mm (¼ in) to 8 cm (3 in) wide and live in deep cold water habitats but extinct varieties meaured, as adults, from 1mm to 38½ cm (15 in) in width and inhabited a wide variety of habitats.

This specimen came from an $8 fossil kit.