Based on a large data-set, spanning the Ordovician-Early Silurian (Telychian) interval, this study explores the phylogeographic distributional pattern for higher orders of rhynchonelliformean brachiopods through four time slices: Tremadocian, Dapingian-Darriwilian, Katian and Telychian. In addition, a palaeobathymetrical analysis has been conducted for the latter two time slices to assess the phylogenetic impact of the Late Ordovician mass extinctions at various palaeowater depths. Whereas the Tremadocian time slice exhibits phylogenetically simple regions characterized by orthide and porambonitoid taxa, these increase in complexity up through the Ordovician and become dominated by the strophomenides. By the Silurian this phylogentic composition shifted once more to atrypide- and pentameride-dominated faunas.