''Lithophaga'', the date mussels, are a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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 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 ...

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 inhabits freshwater environments. The order has only this one family which contains some 52 gen ...

. Some of the earliest

fossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...

''Lithophaga'' shells have been found in

Mesozoic The Mesozoic Era ( ), also called the Age of Reptiles, the Age of Conifers, and colloquially as the Age of the Dinosaurs is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceo ...

rocks from the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

and from

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

.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 into stone or coral rock with the help of pallial gland secretions,"integument (mollusks)."Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009.

Encyclopædia Britannica 2006 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD An encyclopedia (American English) or encyclopædia (British English) is a reference work or compendium providing summaries of knowledge either general or special to a particular field or discipline. Encyclopedias are divided into articles ...

hence the systematic name ''Lithophaga'', which means "stone-eater". Their club-shaped borings are given the

trace fossil A trace fossil, also known as an ichnofossil (; from el, ἴχνος ''ikhnos'' "trace, track"), is a fossil record of biological activity but not the preserved remains of the plant or animal itself. Trace fossils contrast with body fossils, ...

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 Alcide Charles Victor Marie Dessalines d'Orbigny (6 September 1802 – 30 June 1857) was a French naturalist who made major contributions in many areas, including zoology (including malacology), palaeontology, geology, archaeology and anthrop ...

, 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 ...

'' (

, 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 fasciola'' Dall, Bartsch, & Rehder * '' Lithophaga gracilis''

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'' 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'' (

, 1842) - black date mussel * '' Lithophaga plumula'' (Hanley, 1844) - feather date mussel * '' Lithophaga punctata'' (Kleemann & Hoeksema, 2002) * '' Lithophaga rogersi'' S. S. Berry, 1957 - Roger's date mussel * '' Lithophaga truncata'' (Gray, 1843) * '' Lithophaga simplex''

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