Rastellum


Rastellum is a genus of extinct molluscs, which lived from the Middle Jurassic to the Late Cretaceous.

Subtaxa

Species within this genus include:
  • †Rastellum allobrogensis Pictet and Roux 1853
  • †Rastellum deshayesi d'Orbigny 1853
  • †Rastellum diluvianum Linnaeus 1767
  • †Rastellum ricordeana d'Orbigny 1850

    Fossil record

Fossils of Rastellum are found from the Middle Jurassic until the Late Cretaceous. They are present in the Cretaceous marine strata throughout the world, including Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Gabon, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Libya, Madagascar, Mozambique, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Peru, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and United States. They can also be found in the Jurassic marine strata of India, Japan, Mexico and Poland.

Description

The shells of molluscs of Rastellum species can reach a length of about. These oysters had a narrow-valved, tubular shell, which was composed of regularly alternating sharp ridges and deep folds. The vulnerable commissure was sunk.

Lifestyle

This genus inhabited warm waters, where it cemented itself with the pointed vertebrae to shells or corals. Oysters belonging to the genus Rastellum were stationary epifaunal suspension feeders.