Question about tiny bivalves & gastropods

[Kcee]

I have come across several tiny bivalves and gastropods while digging marine fossils out of sandstone boulders, they range in size from about less than 1mm to about 10mm. I was wondering, do all of these small specimen grow into the larger ones? Also, I can plenty photos of present day small specimen but I can not seem to find many photos of prehistoric small bivalves and gastropods, anyone have any links to tiny prehistoric shells???

 

[RuMert]

http://www.bagniliggia.it/WMSD/WMSDhome.htm

http://www.molluscabase.org

http://www.marinespecies.org/index.php

http://species-identification.org/index.php

http://www.3d-fossils.ac.uk/home.html

 

Unfortunately with bivalves its a pain in the neck. They often look VERY much the same while belonging not only to different genera but even orders. Learned that the hard way trying to ID a couple of my specimens

[Ludwigia]

@MikeR

[Kcee]

Pain in the neck is an under statement, trying to ID bivalves and gastropods can make you feel and look like a complete "dummy". There's just sooooo many of them.....dang!!!!!

Thanks for the links.

[Phevo]

Find the formation you are finding them in and look at relevant publications, at least here in Denmark there is plenty of litterature for mollusc and snails, which makes id relatively easy. Ofcourse once you start finding different growth stages it gets more complicated, but the more specimens you have the more gaps you can fill

[Kcee]

Thanks Phevo, I'll check to see if I can find some literature on the marine fossils found nearby. I've got plenty of specimen to start with.