Inoceramidae

The Inoceramidae are an extinct family of bivalves ("clams") in the class Mollusca. Fossils of inoceramids are found in marine sediments of Permian to latest Cretaceous in age. Inoceramids tended to live in upper bathyal and neritic environments. Many species of inoceramid are found all over the world, demonstrating the wide distribution of their preferred ecosystems, and possibly long-lived planktotrophic larvae. Despite their wide distribution, the pace of evolution of inoceramids was great, with species ranges commonly averaging 0.2–0.5 Ma.

Inoceramidae

Wilson44691 · Public Domain · via Wikipedia/Commons. May be a photograph of a specimen, or an artist’s reconstruction — an interpretation of a skeleton, since colour and soft tissue are almost never preserved.

On record

Recorded, not inferred
Sits inside
InoceramoideaPBDB
Diet
suspension feederPBDB, for Pteriomorphia
Life habit
epifaunalPBDB, for Pteriomorphia
Motility
facultatively mobilePBDB, for Pteriomorphia
Vision
blindPBDB, for Bivalvia

Time the record covers

At least 143 million years on record.

The record covers at least 215.38 Mya to 72.2 Mya. No occurrence read is dated outside 227.3 Mya to 66 Mya.

Late Triassic — about 33 of 4598 occurrencesLate TriassicEarly Jurassic — about 283 of 4598 occurrencesEarly JurassicMiddle Jurassic — about 296 of 4598 occurrencesLate Jurassic — about 75 of 4598 occurrencesLate JurassicEarly Cretaceous — about 442 of 4598 occurrencesEarly CretaceousLate Cretaceous — about 3468 of 4598 occurrencesLate CretaceousPaleocene — about 0 of 4598 occurrences231–225 Mya — about 3 occurrences225–219 Mya — about 6 occurrences219–214 Mya — about 8 occurrences214–208 Mya — about 8 occurrences208–203 Mya — about 7 occurrences203–197 Mya — about 39 occurrences197–191 Mya — about 50 occurrences191–186 Mya — about 37 occurrences186–180 Mya — about 143 occurrences180–175 Mya — about 19 occurrences175–169 Mya — about 198 occurrences169–163 Mya — about 81 occurrences163–158 Mya — about 29 occurrences158–152 Mya — about 21 occurrences152–147 Mya — about 23 occurrences147–141 Mya — about 32 occurrences141–135 Mya — about 20 occurrences135–130 Mya — about 20 occurrences130–124 Mya — about 24 occurrences124–119 Mya — about 35 occurrences119–113 Mya — about 30 occurrences113–108 Mya — about 110 occurrences108–102 Mya — about 146 occurrences102–96 Mya — about 591 occurrences96–91 Mya — about 1002 occurrences91–85 Mya — about 671 occurrences85–80 Mya — about 457 occurrences80–74 Mya — about 252 occurrences74–68 Mya — about 363 occurrences68–63 Mya — about 175 occurrences215.38 Mya72.2 Mya231 Mya63 Mya

4,598 occurrences of Inoceramidae on record, most of them in the Late Cretaceous. Bar height is expected occurrences, not a count: each fossil is spread across the span it is dated to, so a tall narrow bar means tight dating and a low wide one means loose.

When

4,598 occurrences

These are dates about fossils, not the animal: the record can only begin after it arose and end before it died out, so either end may reach further. Shares are expected occurrences: a fossil dated to a span is counted partly in each period it straddles. More on what this infers.

Found in

437 formations

Mancos Shale — 36.35°N, 109.82°WMancos Shale — 35.73°N, 110.82°WMancos Shale — 35.72°N, 106.92°WMancos Shale — 38.90°N, 107.93°WMancos Shale — 36.14°N, 109.82°WMancos Shale — 36.12°N, 109.91°WMancos Shale — 36.18°N, 110.88°WMancos Shale — 36.18°N, 109.88°WMancos Shale — 36.55°N, 110.48°WMancos Shale — 36.16°N, 109.84°WMancos Shale — 35.96°N, 110.89°WMancos Shale — 36.08°N, 111.07°WMancos Shale — 40.76°N, 108.89°WMancos Shale — 34.74°N, 108.84°WMancos Shale — 34.77°N, 108.78°WMancos Shale — 38.77°N, 111.39°WMancos Shale — 35.78°N, 106.94°WMancos Shale — 36.98°N, 108.97°WMancos Shale — 35.52°N, 105.95°WMancos Shale — 35.65°N, 106.85°WMancos Shale — 38.98°N, 110.62°WMancos Shale — 36.40°N, 106.82°WMancos Shale — 34.70°N, 107.88°WMancos Shale — 32.76°N, 108.57°WMancos Shale — 34.53°N, 106.88°WMancos Shale — 35.21°N, 107.13°WMancos Shale — 35.33°N, 105.90°WCotinguiba — 10.76°S, 37.07°WCotinguiba — 10.85°S, 37.17°WCotinguiba — 10.86°S, 37.15°WNiobrara — 38.25°N, 104.60°WNiobrara — 36.35°N, 104.60°WNiobrara — 36.37°N, 104.85°WNiobrara — 36.09°N, 104.40°WNiobrara — 36.55°N, 104.36°WNiobrara — 36.82°N, 104.01°WNiobrara — 36.59°N, 104.53°WNiobrara — 36.68°N, 104.41°WNiobrara — 36.35°N, 104.79°WNiobrara — 36.04°N, 104.62°WNiobrara — 36.28°N, 104.72°WNiobrara — 36.74°N, 104.17°WNiobrara — 42.60°N, 97.27°WNiobrara — 38.72°N, 100.70°WNiobrara — 40.20°N, 105.23°WNiobrara — 36.58°N, 104.58°WNiobrara — 38.84°N, 104.88°WNiobrara — 39.15°N, 99.35°WNiobrara — 39.02°N, 99.50°WGreenhorn Limestone — 38.27°N, 104.72°WGreenhorn Limestone — 37.22°N, 103.60°WGreenhorn Limestone — 33.53°N, 106.22°WGreenhorn Limestone — 38.55°N, 98.42°WGreenhorn Limestone — 43.27°N, 103.22°WGreenhorn Limestone — 37.69°N, 103.94°WGreenhorn Limestone — 39.93°N, 105.28°WGreenhorn Limestone — 38.20°N, 104.70°WGreenhorn Limestone — 42.64°N, 96.53°WGreenhorn Limestone — 34.99°N, 103.40°WPierre Shale — 43.27°N, 104.27°WPierre Shale — 43.26°N, 104.22°WPierre Shale — 43.92°N, 102.70°WPierre Shale — 43.92°N, 102.98°WPierre Shale — 45.53°N, 100.43°WPierre Shale — 44.19°N, 99.70°WPierre Shale — 40.06°N, 106.39°WPierre Shale — 43.25°N, 104.27°WPierre Shale — 40.08°N, 105.27°WPierre Shale — 45.52°N, 100.47°WPierre Shale — 44.05°N, 101.20°WWhitby Mudstone — 54.45°N, 0.57°WWhitby Mudstone — 54.26°N, 1.28°WOpalinuston — 47.43°N, 8.15°EOpalinuston — 47.37°N, 7.78°EOpalinuston — 47.68°N, 8.52°EMatanuska — 61.87°N, 147.35°WMatanuska — 62.03°N, 147.58°WMatanuska — 61.99°N, 147.78°WMatanuska — 61.84°N, 148.06°WMatanuska — 61.92°N, 147.62°WMatanuska — 61.94°N, 147.67°WMatanuska — 62.50°N, 150.01°WMatanuska — 62.08°N, 147.84°WMatanuska — 61.85°N, 147.41°WMatanuska — 61.84°N, 147.41°WMatanuska — 61.80°N, 147.58°WMatanuska — 61.80°N, 147.70°WMatanuska — 62.00°N, 147.22°WMatanuska — 61.92°N, 146.87°WMatanuska — 61.83°N, 147.93°WMatanuska — 61.87°N, 147.51°WMatanuska — 62.01°N, 146.80°WMatanuska — 61.99°N, 146.95°WMatanuska — 61.96°N, 147.72°WMatanuska — 62.16°N, 147.76°WMatanuska — 61.93°N, 147.07°WMatanuska — 61.99°N, 146.73°WMatanuska — 61.99°N, 147.28°WMatanuska — 61.69°N, 148.96°WMatanuska — 61.73°N, 148.75°WHilo — 3.67°N, 74.89°WTropic Shale — 37.07°N, 111.62°WTropic Shale — 37.29°N, 112.69°WTropic Shale — 37.08°N, 111.65°WTropic Shale — 37.07°N, 111.54°WTropic Shale — 37.13°N, 111.44°WHinoshima — 32.47°N, 130.47°EHinoshima — 32.39°N, 130.40°ETolo Channel — 22.44°N, 114.28°ETolo Channel — 22.45°N, 114.22°ETolo Channel — 22.49°N, 114.32°EPrairie Bluff — 34.24°N, 89.00°WPrairie Bluff — 33.93°N, 88.98°WPrairie Bluff — 33.79°N, 88.97°WPrairie Bluff — 33.79°N, 88.91°WPrairie Bluff — 33.50°N, 88.81°WPrairie Bluff — 33.07°N, 88.61°WPrairie Bluff — 33.05°N, 88.56°WPrairie Bluff — 32.90°N, 88.46°WPrairie Bluff — 34.48°N, 88.98°WPrairie Bluff — 33.73°N, 88.90°WPrairie Bluff — 32.73°N, 88.30°WPrairie Bluff — 32.74°N, 88.36°WPrairie Bluff — 32.70°N, 88.17°WPrairie Bluff — 32.61°N, 88.24°WPrairie Bluff — 32.43°N, 88.03°WPrairie Bluff — 32.14°N, 87.42°WPrairie Bluff — 32.07°N, 87.33°WPrairie Bluff — 32.05°N, 86.81°WPrairie Bluff — 32.04°N, 86.79°WPrairie Bluff — 31.97°N, 86.72°WPrairie Bluff — 32.00°N, 86.48°WPrairie Bluff — 31.98°N, 86.00°WPrairie Bluff — 31.99°N, 85.92°WChignik — 55.82°N, 160.62°WChignik — 55.68°N, 161.05°WChignik — 55.86°N, 159.58°WChignik — 56.29°N, 158.62°WChignik — 56.35°N, 158.51°WChignik — 56.55°N, 158.25°WChignik — 56.35°N, 158.52°WChignik — 56.31°N, 158.68°WChignik — 56.45°N, 158.41°WChignik — 55.77°N, 160.67°WChignik — 55.64°N, 160.68°WChignik — 55.72°N, 160.84°WChignik — 55.69°N, 161.01°WChignik — 55.68°N, 160.94°WOlazagutia — 42.88°N, 2.20°WNishinakayama — 34.25°N, 131.00°ENishinakayama — 34.17°N, 131.00°EMarias River Shale — 47.93°N, 110.47°WMarias River Shale — 48.65°N, 111.63°WMarias River Shale — 47.26°N, 109.68°WMarias River Shale — 47.28°N, 109.27°WMarias River Shale — 48.63°N, 112.97°WMarias River Shale — 47.85°N, 110.47°WMarias River Shale — 47.00°N, 110.30°WNacatoch Sand — 32.10°N, 96.47°WNacatoch Sand — 32.59°N, 96.31°WNacatoch Sand — 33.14°N, 95.60°WNacatoch Sand — 33.61°N, 95.05°WNacatoch Sand — 31.31°N, 96.90°WPanoche — 37.35°N, 121.21°WPanoche — 37.45°N, 121.28°WPanoche — 37.42°N, 121.37°WPanoche — 37.45°N, 121.25°WPanoche — 37.38°N, 121.32°WPanoche — 37.28°N, 121.26°WPanoche — 37.25°N, 121.22°WPanoche — 37.24°N, 121.17°WPanoche — 37.23°N, 121.15°WPanoche — 36.70°N, 120.77°WOkarahia Sandstone — 42.57°S, 173.52°EOkarahia Sandstone — 42.60°S, 173.42°EOkarahia Sandstone — 42.55°S, 173.50°EGrès verts helvétiques — 45.99°N, 6.71°EGrès verts helvétiques — 45.91°N, 6.49°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.10°N, 6.82°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.01°N, 6.35°EGrès verts helvétiques — 45.98°N, 6.78°EGrès verts helvétiques — 45.99°N, 6.58°EGrès verts helvétiques — 46.05°N, 6.52°EBykov — 50.16°N, 155.26°EBykov — 48.73°N, 142.61°EAustin Chalk — 29.32°N, 99.47°WAustin Chalk — 32.59°N, 96.81°WAustin Chalk — 32.90°N, 96.73°WAustin Chalk — 33.70°N, 96.55°WHaslam — 49.18°N, 124.33°WHaslam — 49.52°N, 124.88°WHaslam — 49.19°N, 124.15°WHaslam — 49.08°N, 124.01°WHaslam — 49.02°N, 123.96°WHaslam — 48.84°N, 123.72°WHaslam — 49.30°N, 124.22°W

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The named rock units Inoceramidae has been recovered from, largest first. Drawn where the rock is now, not where it formed. 413 further formations hold fewer occurrences each and are not listed. 1,557 occurrences have no formation on record, which is common for older literature.

Inoceramidae and its relatives

Late Cretaceous

Where Inoceramidae and its relatives were recorded in the Late Cretaceous.

Found in the same rock

1,029 taxa

The Paleobiology Database records at least 1,131 sites for Inoceramidae, and this reads 240 of them. The number is how many of those sites it was catalogued from too. The 24 sharing the most are listed.

This is not a list of everything alive at the time. It is only what has come out of the same ground as this animal and been written down.

Entered from

529 references

Each of the 4,598 occurrences read was entered from one of these publications, ordered by how many each accounts for. This is not a search for papers mentioning the name. 517 further references are not listed. Entries link to doi.org where the Paleobiology Database holds an identifier, and to its own record where it does not. Relayed as the Paleobiology Database holds them, not checked against what they resolve to.

Media and terms

Media content1

Picture of Inoceramidae

Credit
Wilson44691
Licence
Public Domain
Commercial use
the licence allows it

No 3D scan of Inoceramidae was found in Sketchfab.

Smithsonian Open Access and MorphoSource were not reached for this taxon, so this list is what the others held rather than everything there is.

The description on this site

Licence
CC BY-SA 4.0

This is what the site found, which is not the same as what exists.

Keep going

What may have been alongside itInoceramoidea through timeFormations of the Late CretaceousThe world it lived on

Occurrence data from the Paleobiology Database, CC BY 4.0. Giebel 1852