Chama gryphoides

Chama gryphoides is a species of cemented saltwater clam, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Chamidae, the jewel boxes.^[1]

Chama gryphoides Temporal range: Miocene – Present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Fossil shell of Chama gryphoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Order:	Venerida
Family:	Chamidae
Genus:	Chama
Species:	C. gryphoides
Binomial name
Chama gryphoides Linnaeus, 1758

This species is known in the fossil record from the Miocene to the Quaternary (age range 20.43 to 0.781 million years ago.). Fossil shells of this species have been found in Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Algeria, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Morocco, Poland, Romania and Slovakia.^[2]

Description

Shells of Chama gryphoides can reach a size of 20–28 millimetres (0.79–1.10 in). These shells are thick, heavy, almost oval and inequivalve. The left valve is large and deep, while the right one is flatter. The radial ribs are quite irregular and arranged in concentric rows.^[3]

Distribution

This species has a Mediterranean distribution. It can be found at depths of 10 to 200 m.^[1][4]