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Fossil sea snail shell
Ecphora tricostata
38.1668, -76.8532
Field Notes
Description:
Fossil marine gastropod mollusk shell (Ecphora tricostata), approximately three inches (3") in length, collected at an undisclosed location along the Potomac River, Westmoreland County, Virginia USA. The word "costa" means "rib," derived from the Latin word "costae." Notice that the shell of Ecphora tricostata has three costae (ribs). Photo 1 of 4 was annotated to highlight the three costae; Photo 3 of 4 is the original photograph, cropped to highlight the specimen. Photo 2 of 4 shows the relative size of the specimen (a quarter is ~1" in diameter). Compare and contrast Ecphora tricostata with Ecphora quadricostata: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7488528
Habitat:
A relatively "shallow" sea that existed along the east coast of the United States an estimated 10- to 15 million years ago, during the Miocene Epoch. Related Resource: Miocene Marine Life http://paleobiology.si.edu/geotime/main/htmlversion/miocene3.html
Notes:
© Copyright 2011 Walter Sanford. All rights reserved. www.wsanford.com
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