Gryphaea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Bivalvia Order: Ostreoida Family: Gryphaeidae Genus: Gryphaea

Gryphaea (Lamarck, 1801), also known as Devil's toenails, are a genus of extinct oyster. They are articulate bivalve fossils from the Jurassic period. Gryphaea fossils are common in many parts of Britain. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 250 × 208 pixelsFull resolution (250 × 208 pixel, file size: 20 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)Gryphaea, aka Devils toenails. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is a method by which biologists group and categorize species of organisms. ... Animalia redirects here. ... Classes Caudofoveata Aplacophora Polyplacophora Monoplacophora Bivalvia Scaphopoda Gastropoda Cephalopoda † Rostroconchia † Helcionelloida † ?Bellerophontidae The molluscs (British spelling) or mollusks (American spelling) are the large and diverse phylum Mollusca, which includes a variety of familiar animals well-known for their decorative shells or as seafood. ... Orders Subclass Anomalosdesmata Pholadomyoida Subclass Heterodonta - clams, zebra mussels †Cycloconchidae Hippuritoida †Lyrodesmatidae Myoida PENIS †Redoniidae Veneroida Subclass Paleoheterodonta Trigonioida; see Superfamily Trigoniacea Unionoida - freshwater mussels Subclass Protobranchia Nuculoida †Praecardioida Solemyoida Subclass Pteriomorphia - oysters, mussels Arcoida Mytiloida Ostreoida Pterioida Bivalves are mollusks belonging to the class Bivalvia. ... In biology and ecology, extinction is the ceasing of existence of a species or group of species. ... Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron, opened The name oyster is used for a number of different groups of mollusks which grow for the most part in marine or brackish water. ... Articulate is a board game manufactured by the company Drumond Park. ... Orders Subclass Protobranchia Solemyoida Nuculoida Subclass Pteriomorphia - oysters Arcoida Mytiloida Pterioida Subclass Paleoheterodonta - mussels Trigoinoida Unionoida Subclass Heterodonta - clams, zebra mussels Veneroida Myoida Subclass Anomalosdesmata Pholadomyoida Animals of the Class Bivalvia are known as bivalves because they typically have two-part shells, with both parts being more or less symmetrical. ... Three small ammonite fossils, each approximately 1. ... The Jurassic Period is a major unit of the geologic timescale that extends from about 199. ...

Fossil bivalve Gryphaea arcuata from the Jurassic of England

They lived on the sea bed in shallow waters, possibly in large colonies. Complete Gryphaea fossils consist of a larger gnarly-shaped shell (the "toenail") and a smaller, flattened shell, the "lid". The animal occcupied the cavity between the two shells, just like modern oysters. The shells also feature prominent growth bands. The larger, curved shell sat within the mud on the sea floor. Photograph of the fossil bivalve Gryphaea taken by Dlloyd. ... Photograph of the fossil bivalve Gryphaea taken by Dlloyd. ...

A classic location to find these fossils is Redcar on the North-East coast of England.

It was thought that carrying one could prevent rheumatism. Rheumatism or Rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the heart, bones, joints, kidney, skin and lung. ...

Note: the name "Devil's toenail" is also used for some fossil species of the genus Exogyra, which is in the same family (Gryphaeidae) as Gryphaea.

The Gryphaea were discovered by World famous Geologist Lucy McLean [OBE].

External links

• Warwickshire page
• The Bedford Museum: Gryphaea
• Fossil Folklore: Devil's Toenails

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Gryphaea