Late Carboniferous Fossils from the Glenshaw Formation in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania » Bivalvia

Class: Bivalvia Linnaeus 1758

Bivalves are the second most abundant class of animals under the phylum Mollusca after gastropods. Unlike gastropods (snails), bivalves do not survive on land; most species live in marine environments, and some thrive in freshwaters. Previously, professionals referred to Pelecypoda as the class, but Bivalvia is now the proper class name.

Bivalves look like brachiopods, but the two have a polar shell configuration. Brachiopods have a mirrored shell from one side of the valve to the other, whereas bivalves have mirrored shells from shell to shell.

Classification hierarchy for all identified bivalves from the Brush Creek and Pine Creek limestone.

• Class Bivalvia Linnaeus 1758
  • Subclass Autobranchia Grobben, 1894
    • Infraclass Pteriomorphia Beurlen, 1944
      • Order Arcida Stoliczka, 1871
        • Family Parallelodontidae Dall 1898
      • Order Ostreida Fërussac, 1822
        • Family Pinnidae Leach 1819
      • Order Pectinida Gray, 1854
        • Family Pterinopectinidae Newell 1938
      • Order Pterioida Newell 1965
        • Family Myalinidae Frech 1891
      • Order Praecardiida Newell. 1965
        • Family Sanguinolitidae Miller 1877
      • Order Pterioida Newell 1965
        • Family Myalinidae Frech 1891
    • Infraclass Heteroconchia
      • Order Carditida (Dall 1889)
        • Family Astartidae d’Orbigny 1844
      • Order Pholadomyida Newell, 1965
        • Family Edmondiidae King 1850
      • Order Trigoniida Lamarck, 1819
        • Family Schizodidae Newell and Boyd 1975
  • Subclass Protobranchia Pelseneer 1889
    • Infraclass incertae
      • Order Protobranchia Pelseneer 1889
        • Family Nuculanida Carter et al. 2000
        • Family Nuculida Dall 1889

Bivalvia Menu

• Allopinna
• Parallelodon
• Septimyalina