Name: Inoceramus
(Strong pot).
Phonetic: In-o-cer-a-mus.
Named By: James Sowerby - 1814.
Classification: Mollusca, Bivalvia, Pteriomorphia,
Praecardioida, Inoceramidae.
Species: I. aequicostatus, I. albertensis,
I. altifluminis, I. americanus, I. andinus, I. anglicus, I. anilis, I.
anomalus, I. anomiaeformis, I. apicalis, I. arvanus, I. brownei, I.
carsoni, I. corpulentus, I. costellatus, I. coulthardi, I. cuvieri, I.
dominguesi, I. dowlingi, I. dunveganensis, I. elburzensis, I. elegans,
I. everesti, I. fibrosus, I. formosulus, I. fragilis, I. frechi, I.
galoi, I. gibbosus, I. ginterensis, I. glacierensis, I. howelli, I.
incelebratus, I. inconditus, I. kystatymensis, I. lamarcki, I. lateris,
I. mesabiensis, I. morii, I. multiformis, I. mytiliformis, I.
nipponicus, I. pictus, I. pontoni, I. porrectus, I. prefragilis, I.
pseudolucifer, I. quenstedti, I. robertsoni, I. saskatchewanensis, I.
selwyni, I. sokolovi, I. steinmanni, I. subdepressus, I. subundatus, I.
tenuirostratus, I. udylensis, I. undabundus, I. ussuriensis.
Type: Filter feeder.
Size: Larger specimens up to 1.87 meters.
Known locations: Worldwide.
Time period: Cretaceous.
Fossil representation: Lots of specimens recovered.
Inoceramus is the largest known bivalve clam in the fossil record. It is thought that it grew so large so that it could have a larger gill area to cope with oxygen deficient waters. Like smaller versions, Inoceramus would have opened its shell to expose its soft tissue and filter food from the water. When threatened it would then close up to protect the fleshy parts within.
Further reading
- Contributions to Canadian Palaeontology: New species from the
Coloradoan of Lower Smokey and Lower Peace Rivers, Alberta. - Canada
Geological Survery 42:117-126. - F. H. McLearn - 1926.
- Divisions and faunas of the Hokonui System (Triassic and Jurassic). -
New Zealand Geological Survey Paleontological Bulletin 21. - J. Marwick
- 1953.
- Inoceramids, Didymotis and ammonites from the Nkalagu Formation type
locakity (late Turonian to Coniacian, southern Nigeria):biostratigraphy
and palaeoecologic implications). - Neues Jahrbuch f�r Geologie und
Palaeontologie, Monatshefte 2001(4):193-212. - H. Gebhardt - 2001.
- Palaeontology and stratigraphy of the Middle-Upper Coniacian and
Santonian inoceramids of the US Western Interior. - Acta Geologica
Polonica 56(3):241-348. - I. Walaszczyk & W. A. Cobban - 2006.