The genus Wilkingia was described by Wilson in 1959. The species W. terminale was described by Hoare in 1961. A very common bivalve, I have collected a few dozen specimens of Wilkingia over the past year. I have collected 10 different specimens that were complete as far as length goes. Many specimens are missing one or the other side.

It is known for its large very inequilateral equivalved elongate shells (Hoare 1979). The surface has coarse concentric growth rings.

Wilkingia specimen CG-0051
A great example of the concentric growth rings. This specimen, CG-0051 was covered with white material, perhaps salts that were precipitated.
Wilkingia Morphological features
Wilkingia Morphological features – Redrawn from Figure 15, Contrasting Behavioral and Feeding Strategies Recorded by Tidal-flat Bivalve Trace Fossils from the Upper Carboniferous of Eastern Kansas, 1998

Wilkingia Specimen Measurements

Catalog IDGenusLength (mm)Width A (mm)Width B (mm)
CG-0012Wilkingia652022
CG-0031Wilkingia882628
CG-0041Wilkingia622425
CG-0044Wilkingia731840
CG-0049Wilkingia722422
CG-0050Wilkingia853530
CG-0051Wilkingia622032
CG-0052Wilkingia72*24
CG-0053Wilkingia721830
CG-0054Wilkingia752430
* 1 Valve Missing
Width A: Valve to valve
Width B: Single valve width

Widths very greatly due to differences in compression post burial. Depending on orientation, compression can be wildly different from specimen to specimen

Wilkingia Specimen Photos

  • Wilkingia, dorsal margin with metric scale
  • Wilkingia
  • Wilkingia
  • CG-0049
  • Wilkingia
  • Wilkingia

References

  • 1998, Mangano, M.G., Buatois, L.A, West, R.R., Maples, C.G., Contrasting Behavioral and Feeding Strategies Recorded by Tidal-flat Bivalve Trace Fossils from the Upper Carboniferous of Eastern Kansas, Palaios, 1998, V. 13, P 335-351