Shell Specimen: Bivalvia

“Shelling” is a fun for professional scientist and amateurs alike. A majority of the shells below are composed of the mineral aragonite CaCO3. Many of my modern or “recent” shells have fossil relatives in my Fossil Gallery. To see my fossil bivalves click here, and to see my bivalve models click here. Below I have organized images and data of some of my sea shells.

Special thanks to Tina Petway, Lucy Clampet and Gary Kidder for giving me what I could not find.

Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Mollusca – Class: Bivalvia

(Clams, Oyster, and Pectin)

Family: Arcidae “Arks”

Family: Mytilidae “True Mussels”

Family: Pinnidae: “Pen Shells”

Family: Pteriidae “Wing Oysters” and “Pearl Oysters”

Family: Malleidae “Hammer Oysters”

Family: Pectinidae “Scallops”

Family: Plicatulidae “Kitten’s Paws”

Family: Limidae “Lima”, “Scallops”, and”File Clams 

Family: Spondylidae “Thorny Oysters”

Family: Anomiidae “Jingle Shells”

Family: Ostreidae “True Oysters”

Family: Lucinidae “Lucine Clams”

Family: Mactridae “Duck Clams”

Family: Chamidae “Jewel Boxes”

Family: Carditidae “Cardita Clams”

Family: Cardiidae “Heart Cockles”

Family: Cardiidae “Egg Cockles”

Family: Cardiida “Giant Clams”

Family: Solenidae “Razor Shells”

Family: Tellinidae “Tellins”

Family: Donacidae “Coquinas” and “Donax Clams”

Family: Veneridae “Dosinia Clams”

Family: Veneridae “Quahogs”

Family: Veneridae “Venus Clams”

Family: Pholadidae – Piddocks “Angel’s Wings”

Data: Dance, S. Peter, Smithsonian Handbook: Shells, The photographic regognition guide to seashells of the world. A Dorling Kindersley Book.

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