Nuculida

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Nuculida
Acila cobboldiae

Acila cobboldiae

Systematics
Trunk : Molluscs (mollusca)
Sub-stem : Shell molluscs (Conchifera)
Class : Mussels (Bivalvia)
Subclass : Protobranchia
Order : Nuculida
Scientific name
Nuculida
Dall , 1889

The Nuculida are an order of the mussels (Bivalvia), which was formerly also called Palaeotaxodonta . The order is placed in the infra-class Protobranchia within the class of mussels. The oldest representatives are known with a certain uncertainty from the Lower Cambrian , certainly from the Ordovician .

Characteristics

The representatives of the order have housings with the same flaps , the rear end of which can also be more or less elongated. The bowl is aragonitic with homogeneous or mother-of-pearl prismatic structures. The lock is taxodont , a few forms also have an actinodontic lock. The ligament can be external or internal on a ligament support. The sphincter muscles are uniform (isomyar). The gills belong to the so-called protobranch type. The rather long mouth probes lie around the mouth opening.

Way of life

The representatives of the order Nuculida live exclusively marine, but occur from the subtidal to abyssal depths. They live mostly buried in the soft sediment as detritus eaters.

Systematics

The order contains the following superfamilies:

supporting documents

  • Michael Amler, Rudolf Fischer & Nicole Rogalla: Mussels . Haeckel library, volume 5. Enke Verlag, Stuttgart 2000 ISBN 3-13-118391-8 .
  • Rüdiger Bieler & Paula M. Mikkelsen: Bivalvia - a look at the branches . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 148: 223-235, London 2006.