| P number: | P549450 |
|---|---|
| Caption: | Deltoidinium, a Jurassic oyster, a fossil bivalve. |
| Description: | Deltoidinium was an oyster that evolved during mid Jurassic times (nearly 170 million years ago) and became extinct at the end of the late Jurassic, about 140 million years ago. During that time it spread throughout Europe from England to Russia. Deltoidinium lived in shallow waters. It can reach up to 17 cm. across although the specimen illustrated is 10 cm across. It varies in shape, but is usually triangular or crescent shaped and it is crossed by numerous growth lines. The valves are flat and inside the muscle scar is large. Deltoidinium was attached to the substrate by its left valve. Bivalves are molluscs that first evolved over 500 million years ago during the middle of the Cambrian period. They flourished during the Mesozoic (particularly the Jurassic and Cretaceous) and in the Cainozoic eras. They are abundant in the modern seas and dead shells are often found in the beach sands around the world. The early bivalves are associated with marine palaeoenvironments, but they later colonised brackish and fresh waters. As they are so common in modern times, their mode of life can be extrapolated back into the geological past and used in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. |
| Photographer: | Unknown |
| Copyright statement: | NERC |
| Orientation: | Portrait |
| Size: | 556.84 KB; 981 x 1000 pixels; 83 x 85 mm (print at 300 DPI); 260 x 265 mm (screen at 96 DPI); |
| Average Rating: | Not yet rated |
| Categories: | Best of BGS Images/ Fossils |
Loading...
Loading...
Reviews
There is currently no feedback