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Magellania flavescens
A small two-shelled creature with non-identical shells(valves) with a hole for a peduncle at the hinge. These are filter feeders and have specialised structures called Lophophores for feeding and breathing ( structures seen in #4)
Cold water/deep ocean . This one was washed ashore on a beach at Hastings, Victoria. Widespread in Bass Strait.
In the Cambrian period about 30,000 species of Brachiopods is said to have existed. Today only about 300 species exist. Molluscs including bivalves have taken over and aquaculture and trawling has done further damage.
Brachiopods are not related to bivalves/shellfish (clams, etc).
Found this amongst hundreds of bivalve shells including scallop shells. It was a thrilling but sad find as it was probably trawled up from the bottom.
My thanks to Simon Grove ( Tasmania) for the ID.
Family: Terebratellidae
Spotted on Aug 29, 2009
Submitted on Nov 29, 2011
1 Comment
Not your ordinary shellfish... a living relic.