Paleontica Community

please help me to identify these fossils. first 4 photos belong to same sample.
if possible kindly give me the informations like living depth, adaptations etc.

Hi!

We don't come across fossils from india quite often on this forum!

To me the oyster-like shell on photos 1-3 and 7 is from the Genera Rastellum or Hyotissa. It has curved valves with stout ribs cross the upper valve. The opening between the shells is folded into sharp zigzags, which is quite typical for these genera. Since I am not familiar with Cretaceous fossils from India, I am not able to tell you the species name.

My best guess is that the paleoepth is relatively shallow. The oyster-like shells are thick and heavy, have an irregular shape and are inequivalve. It most likely lived in turbulent, relative shallow waters (above wave-base).
Oyster-like shells generally live on a hard substrate, although the crenulate opening is an adaptation to waters with a high sediment load (to prevent sand (or other) grains from entering the shell). Hence, this is an adaptation to the high energy environment, with a lot of sand movement.

I hope this information helps you out?

Cheers,

Johan

[Bewerkt door FossilDude op 13-12-2009 om 18:22 NL]

thank you very much mr.johan.

your kind information is really worthfull. nw i am ready to work the adaptive nature of alectryonia to rustellam which happens in this cretaceous formation. thanking you again .

riffin.