Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The Parallelodontidae is one of six families within the arcoid Bivalvia that are considered to have a temporal range extending from the Ordovician to the Recent.Nevertheless, its origin and early diversification remain poorly understood, despite over 150 years of research.We reviewed the Devonian and preDevonian taxa attributed to the Parallelodontidae with respect to parallelodontid morphology in the strict sense, particularly shell outline and hinge characteristics.Out of some fifty species, only a few match the typical parallelodontid morphology.Most of them can only vaguely be attributed to the Parallelodontidae, as poor preservation can obscure diagnostic features, causing potential confusion with coeval genera of the Heterodonta and Protobranchia with comparable external morphology.All Ordovician and Silurian taxa previously attributed to Parallelodon or presumed to possess parallelodontid characteristics turned out to be misclassified.Parallelodon mandelensis from the upper Emsian shallow marine Rhenotypic (Rhenish) Facies of Germany undoubtedly has a parallelodontid hinge and appears to be the earliest member of the family.In the Middle Devonian, primarily in the shelf region deposits of the Rheic Ocean in Central Europe and eastern North America, a first, minor radiation occurred.With the transition from the Devonian to the Carboniferous, a second, more pronounced radiation of parallelodontids led to significantly higher parallelodontid diversity.
Source: Bulletin of Geosciences
Authors: M.R.W. Amler, J.C. Friedel
Institutions: University of Cologne, Philipps University of Marburg
Language: English
Subfield: Paleontology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7127055853