• DOI:10.1111/j.1469-185X.1969.tb00610.x
• Corpus ID: 29279688

ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS ON BIVALVE SHELL MINERALOGY

@article{Kennedy1969ENVIRONMENTALAB,
  title={ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS ON BIVALVE SHELL MINERALOGY},
  author={William James Kennedy and John David Taylor and Anthony Hall},
  journal={Biological Reviews},
  year={1969},
  volume={44}
}

• W. Kennedy, J. Taylor, A. Hall
• Published 1 November 1969
• Geology, Environmental Science, Geography
• Biological Reviews

Bivalves lay down two forms of calcium carbonate in their shells, aragonite and calcite. Shells may be wholly aragonitic, or may contain both aragonite and calcite, in separate monomineralic layers. Shells are built up of several layers of distinct aggregations of calcium carbonate crystals. These aggregations are referred to as shell structures and their general features are described. Aragonite occurs as prismatic, nacreous, crossed‐lamellar, complex crossed‐lamellar and homogeneous structures. Calcite occurs as prismatic or foliated structures. Myostracal layers (calcium carbonate laid down below sites of muscle attachment) are always aragonitic. The ligament and byssus when calcined are also invariably aragonitic. A summary of the occurrence of calcite and aragonite and the associated shell structures is given. Calcite is found only in the outer layer of superfamilies belonging to the subclass Pterio‐morphia with the exception of two species only from the Heterodont superfamily Chamacea. Generally within a superfamily shell structure and mineralogy are very constant. In all superfamilies these combinations have existed for many millions of years.