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Anadara scalarina

Geological Range

Late Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene; Extinct.

Paleogeographic Distribution

Southern Florida to North Carolina.

Remarks

Some workers recognize this species as Scapharca scalarina.

Original Description (from Heilprin, 1886, p. 94-96):

"Shell obliquely rhomboidal, elevated, ventricose, angulated posteriorly, flattened; anterior end short, everjy rounded; beaks prominent, transverse, about eight, distant; ligament-area diamond-shaped, nearly smooth in the young shell, with delicate transverse lines in the adult, with a limited number of coarse, sinuous longitudinal lines; hinge-line straight, somewhat more than one-half the greatest length of shell; teeth numerous, somewhat oblique toward either end. Ribs prominent, about twenty-four, broad, square, robustly crenate, those of the left valve broader than the interspaces, flattened posteriorly, about eight on the anal angulation; those of the right valve of about the same width as the interspaces (the anterior ones the broadest), with an interstitial secondary rounded rib in the centre of the interspace; the two valves unequal, the basal margin of the left valve greatly protruding beyond that of the right; base profoundly crenulated.

Length, 3.3 inches; height, 2.5 inches.

Abundant in the banks of the Caloosahatchie below Fort Thompson."

Stratigraphic Occurrences

Middle Pleistocene
Bermont Formation (S. FL)
Early Pleistocene
Caloosahatchee Formation (S. FL)
Caloosahatchee Formation (Bee Branch Member) (S. FL)
Nashua Formation (N. FL)
Waccamaw Formation (NC)
Late Pliocene
Jackson Bluff Formation (N. FL)
Tamiami Formation (Lower) (S. FL)
Tamiami Formation (Pinecrest Beds) (S. FL)
<i>Anadara scalarina</i> from the Early Pleistocene Caloosahatchee Fm. of Okeechobee County, Florida (UF 116412).
Anadara scalarina from the Early Pleistocene Caloosahatchee Fm. of Okeechobee County, Florida (UF 116412).
Specimen of <i>Anadara scalarina</i> figured by Heilprin (1886, pl. 12, fig. 29); 3.3 in. in length.
Specimen of Anadara scalarina figured by Heilprin (1886, pl. 12, fig. 29); 3.3 in. in length.
<i>Anadara scalarina</i> from the Late Pliocene Tamiami Fm. (Pinecrest Beds) of Sarasota County, Florida (PRI 69693).
Anadara scalarina from the Late Pliocene Tamiami Fm. (Pinecrest Beds) of Sarasota County, Florida (PRI 69693).
<i>Anadara scalarina</i> from the Plio-Pleistocene Nashua Fm. of Putnam County, Florida (PRI 70645).
Anadara scalarina from the Plio-Pleistocene Nashua Fm. of Putnam County, Florida (PRI 70645).
Specimens of <i>Anadara scalarina</i> (PRI 70061 [left], PRI 70089 [two right]) from the late Pliocene Tamiami Fm. of Sarasota County, Florida. Bottom row of images shows enlarged views of the hinge regions of each specimen.
Specimens of Anadara scalarina (PRI 70061 [left], PRI 70089 [two right]) from the late Pliocene Tamiami Fm. of Sarasota County, Florida. Bottom row of images shows enlarged views of the hinge regions of each specimen.
Middle Pleistocene Map
Middle Pleistocene Map
Early Pleistocene Map
Early Pleistocene Map
Late Pliocene Map
Late Pliocene Map