''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

bivalve Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, bival ...

mollusc Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...

s in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludvigsen, Rolf & Beard, Graham. 1997. West Coast Fossils: A Guide to the Ancient Life of Vancouver Island. pg. 102Kleemann, K.H., 1994. Mytilid bivalve ''Lithophaga'' in Upper Triassic coral ''Pamiroseris'' from Zlambach Beds compared with Cretaceous ''Lithophaga alpina''. Facies 30, 151-154. The shells of species in this genus are long and narrow with parallel sides. The animals

bore Bore or Bores often refer to: *Boredom * Drill Relating to holes * Boring (manufacturing), a machining process that enlarges a hole ** Bore (engine), the diameter of a cylinder in a piston engine or a steam locomotive ** Bore (wind instruments), ...

into stone or coral rock with the help of pallial gland secretions,"integument (mollusks)."Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica 2006 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD hence the systematic name ''Lithophaga'', which means "stone-eater". Their club-shaped borings are given the trace fossil name ''

Gastrochaenolites ''Gastrochaenolites'' is a trace fossil formed as a clavate (club-shaped) boring in a hard substrate such as a shell, rock or carbonate hardground. The aperture of the boring is narrower than the main chamber and may be circular, oval, or dumb-be ...

''.

Species

Species within the genus ''Lithophaga'' include: * ''

Lithophaga antillarum ''Lithophaga antillarum'', or the Giant date mussel, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Mytilidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from southern Florida to the West Indies and Brazil Brazil ( ...

'' ( d'Orbigny, 1842) - giant date mussel * ''

Lithophaga aristata ''Lithophaga aristata'', or the Scissor date mussel, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Mytilidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from North Carolina to Texas and the West Indies.Abbott, R.T. & Mor ...

'' ( Dillwyn, 1817) - scissor date mussel * ''

Lithophaga attenuata ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludvigse ...

'' ( Deshayes, 1836) - attenuated date mussel * ''

Lithophaga balanas ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludvigse ...

'' Dall * ''

Lithophaga balanus ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludvigsen, ...

'' Dall * ''

Lithophaga bisulcata ''Lithophaga bisulcata'', or the Mahogany date mussel, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Mytilidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from North Carolina to the West Indies and Bermuda ) , a ...

'' ( d'Orbigny, 1842) - mahogany date mussel * ''

Lithophaga cardigera ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludvigse ...

'' * ''

Lithophaga cavernosa ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized Marine (ocean), marine bivalve molluscs in the family (biology), family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and ...

'' * '' Lithophaga cinnamomeus'' * ''

Lithophaga dactylus ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludv ...

'' * ''

Lithophaga fasciola ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludv ...

'' Dall, Bartsch, & Rehder * ''

Lithophaga gracilis ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludv ...

Philippi Philippi (; grc-gre, Φίλιπποι, ''Philippoi'') was a major Greek city northwest of the nearby island, Thasos. Its original name was Crenides ( grc-gre, Κρηνῖδες, ''Krenides'' "Fountains") after its establishment by Thasian colon ...

* ''

Lithophaga hawaia ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludv ...

'' Dall, Bartsch, & Rehder * '' Lithophaga ilabis'' ( Deshayes) * ''

Lithophaga lithophaga ''Lithophaga lithophaga'', also known as date shell or date mussel, is a species of Bivalvia belonging to the family Mytilidae. Fossil record Fossils of ''Lithophaga lithophaga'' are found in marine strata from the Miocene until the Quaternary ...

'' (

Linne Linne is a village in the Dutch province of Limburg. It is a part of the municipality of Maasgouw, and lies about 6 km southwest of Roermond. History The village was first mentioned in 943 as Linne. The etymology is unclear. Linne develop ...

) * ''

Lithophaga nigra ''Lithophaga nigra'', or the Black date mussel, is a species of bivalve mollusc Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000&nb ...

'' ( d'Orbigny, 1842) - black date mussel * ''

Lithophaga plumula ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludv ...

'' (Hanley, 1844) - feather date mussel * ''

Lithophaga punctata ''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a genus of medium-sized marine bivalve molluscs in the family Mytilidae. Some of the earliest fossil ''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in Mesozoic rocks from the Alps and from Vancouver Island.Ludv ...

'' (Kleemann & Hoeksema, 2002) * '' Lithophaga rogersi'' S. S. Berry, 1957 - Roger's date mussel * ''

Lithophaga truncata ''Lithophaga truncata'' is a date mussel, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Mytilidae Mytilidae are a family of small to large marine and brackish-water bivalve molluscs in the order Mytilida. One of the genera, ''Limnoperna'', even i ...

'' (Gray, 1843) * ''

Lithophaga simplex ''Lithophaga simplex'' is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Mytilidae. It is a boring species, tunnelling into living coral colonies. It can be found in the tropical western central Pacific Ocean. Description ''Lithophaga simplex'' is ...

References

*
Stephen D. A. Smith, Densities of the endolithic bivalve Lithophaga lessepsiana (Vaillant, 1865) in Pocillopora damicornis, Solitary Islands Marine Park, northern NSW, Australia; Molluscan Research 31(1): 42–46; ISSN 1323-5818
Bivalve genera Extant Triassic first appearances Taxa named by Peter Friedrich Röding {{Mytilidae-stub