Laevicardium crassum

Laevicardium crassum Temporal range: Quaternary – Present [1]
Valves of Laevicardium crassum
Fossils of L. crassum from Pliocene of Italy
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Order:	Cardiida
Family:	Cardiidae
Genus:	Laevicardium
Species:	L. crassum
Binomial name
Laevicardium crassum Gmelin, 1791

Laevicardium crassum, the Norwegian egg cockle, is a species of saltwater clam, a cockle, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Cardiidae, the cockles. ^[2]

Fossil record

Fossils of Laevicardium crassum are found in marine strata of the Quaternary (age range: from 0.126 to 0.012 million years ago.). Fossils are known from various localities in Ireland, Italy, Netherlands and Portugal. ^[1]

Description

Shell of Laevicardium crassum can reach a length of about 7.5 centimetres (3.0 in). The shell exterior is white or light yellow with occasional dark markings. The shell surface is smooth and shows 40-50 ribs with a crenulated margin. ^[3]

Laevicardium crassum

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  Right valve
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  Left valve

Laevicardium crassum mediterraneum

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  Right valve
• 
  Left valve

Distribution

This species is present in Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean, at depths of 9 to 200 m. ^{[2] [3]}

Bibliography

• Gmelin, J.F., 1788-1793. In: Linné, C., Systema naturae, Edit. 13 aucta et reformata cura J.F. Gmelin. 10 vols, Lipsiae. 1788-1793 et Lugduni, 1789-1796. -1,6,

References

1. Paleontology Database
2. WoRMS
3. Sealife Base