Distribution and habitat
Global paleogeographic reconstruction of the Earth in the late Carboniferous period 300 million years ago. © R Blakey
Gigantoproductus giganteus was prevalent during the Visean in the Carboniferous (328-345mya) and represents one of the innovations taken by productid brachiopods during this time, when novel morphologies began to appear (such as gigantism).
G. giganteus’s morphology suggests that it was best suited to living in high energy environments such as near shore, shallow waters or close to reefs. Sedimentological evidence suggests this to be the case. Its size, weight and spinose shell would have been extremely useful in maintaining the animal in a stable position and location within the habitat.
Currently, fossil specimens of G. giganteus are known from Eurasia and North Africa. It is not known from the Americas.