Worm Or Boring Clam In Snail Steinkern

[Plax]

a local collector gave this to me for identification. I think it represents some kind of worm that was attached to the inside of a snail shell which was later filled with sediment. As all the aragonite is leached out of the Peedee Formation we don't have a shell. It is also possible that it is a boring clam of some sort but the flat, attached looking characteristic doesn't seem like a boring clam. any more specific suggestions would be appreciated. Image is about half an inch across. Age is late cretaceous, Maastrichtian.

[Rodney]

I have a few bi-valves that have the so called bore holes in the outer shell of types or species of bi-valve fossils.. What I understand these holes were drilled by predator bi-valves like you were speaking of. I don`t really see a worm in the picture.

The holes that were drilled in the bi-valves I have are rather small but do look interesting since you could have more than one hole in a general area.

Rodney,,

[Al Dente]

I think it represents some kind of worm that was attached to the inside of a snail shell which was later filled with sediment.

I think you are right.

[erose]

The types of worms that made these tubes that are often attached to other shells are referred to as "Serpulids" I've only seen a few species listed over the years and they often don't include many of the types I find. There are small ones, big ones, ones with keels down the middle, smooth ones, solitary types and ones that always seem to form large masses. Lord I wish someone would spend some time on these lowly critters so I could stop lumping them all into "Serpula".

Oh, and I am not 100% sure but I believe these are the feather dusters we see still in the oceans today.

Edited October 24, 2013 by erose

[Herb]

I agree with Eric.