''Wallerconcha sarae'' is an extinct species of saltwater clam, a

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 ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Thyasiridae Thyasiridae is a family of bivalve molluscs, including the cleft clams, in the order Lucinida. Genera and species * '' Adontorhina'' S. S. Berry, 1947 ** '' Adontorhina cyclia'' S. S. Berry, 1947 ** '' Adontorhina keegani'' Barry & McCormack ...

. The species was discovered in 2014 by Paul Valentich-Scott of the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and three scientists from the

United States Geological Survey The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, ...

, Charles L. Powell, Brian D. Edwards and Thomas D. Lorenson by

Arctic Ocean The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceans. It spans an area of approximately and is known as the coldest of all the oceans. The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) recognizes it as an ocean, a ...

, whilst mapping the sea floor. It was discovered by accident inside a sediment core sample extracted more than 1.5 miles (2.5 km) below the surface of the ocean off the coast of northern Alaska, US, in 2010.

Etymology

It is reported that it was named after Sara Powell, the daughter of Charles L. Powell, one of the co-discoverers, who is credited in saying "I want to name new species after all of my children."

Gallery

References

Thyasiridae Molluscs described in 2014 {{bivalve-stub