Crassatella Shells of the Crassatellidae Family
One Crassatella Shell of the Crassatellidae Family can be found in this website:
Gibbosa Crassatella Shell, Eurassatella gibbosus. A representative of the Crassatellidae Family of Crassatella Shells.
Phylogeny: Crassatella Shells of the Crassatellidae Family are bivalve mollusks in the Carditida order. The Carditida order is divided into two superfamilies – Carditoidea of the Carditidae and Condylocardiidae Families and Crassatelloidea of the Astartidae and Crassatellidae Families. The Crassatelladae Family consists of two subfamilies – Crassatellinae and Scambulinae. Crassatellidae also includes two stand-alone genera – Crassatina with twelve species and Elsius with one species. Subfamily Crassatellinae contains fourteen genera with sixty-three species. Subfamily Scambulinae contains one genus with eleven species. Shells in this family are strictly found in marine environments. They are also commonly referred to as Crassatella Clams or Crassatellids.
Description: Crassatella Shells vary significantly in size, shape, and habitat. They can be equivalve (both valves similar in size and shape) or inequivalve and can be trigonal or quadrate in shape. They tend to have thick valves with both valves being shallow, giving the shell a compressed look. Their exterior may be smooth or sculpted with commarginal ridges. Their hinge plates will have two cardinal teeth in the left valve, and three in the right. Shells in this family may be white, cream, brown, orange or purple, often with darker bands or rays. A few species exhibit maculations. Their interiors often match their exterior colors. These shells are often covered with a heavy periostracum. Crassatella Shells can be as small as 0.3 cm (0.12 inches) to as large as 11.5 cm (4.5 inches).
Habitat and Distribution: Crassatella Snails are found buried in sand or mud substrate, or attached to hard surfaces by means of a byssus. They live in the intertidal zone, and at depths in excess of 210 m (689 feet). Crassatella Snails have a global distribution in tropical to temperate seas. Ten species of the Crassatellidae Family are found in Mexican waters.
Natural History: Crassatella Snails are suspension feeders that filter plankton and fine detritus from the surrounding water. In turn they are preyed upon by birds, crabs, carnivorous mollusks, sharks, and rays. They are gonochoric and reproduce sexually, through broadcast spawning, with external fertilization.