New Lower Devonian strophomenate brachiopods from the western Anti-Atlas, Morocco.

The preliminary inventory of the Lower Devonian brachiopod fauna from the w estern Anti-Atlas (Morocco) allows us to describe three new species of stro phomenate brachiopods: Boucotstrophia jahnkei nov. sp. (strophodontid), Lor eleiella tissinntensis nov. sp. and Celtanoplia ervensiformis nov. sp. (cho netoids). Both their external and internal characters reveal differences fr om previously described species and justify the proposal of new species. Th e genus Boucotstrophia is recorded here for the first time from the Emsian of NW Africa. These findings show how it is essential to revise this extrem ely abundant and diversified benthic fauna.