ID assistance needed. Let me say that I, too, hate to start without a
photo but my system is to sort and photo summer collecting during the
winter months. Winter is here and I am starting.

At question is a spiny pelecypod about the size of a thumbnail from the
Ripley Fm in Southwestern Georgia.  This particular specimen has both
intrigued and frustrated me. I have seen nothing so far in which comes
close to this specimen.  Whilst I find the specimen to photograph, I've
been trying to get a lead on the order/family/genius/etc.

The shell is a single valve about the diameter of a US Nickle. It
resembles a run of the mill pelecypod but definitely not an oyster nor
pectin. The remarkable feature is that this specimen is covered in
2-3mm long spines spaced 3-4 mm on center projecting vertically from
the exterior surface. The spines are hair-like in diameter(.3mm?)

Amazing that these spines survived 82 million years and countless feet
walking over the shell bed. It is the only specimen of this species
that I have found in 3 years of collecting.  Perhaps it is ultra rare
or just overlooked owing to its size.

Can anyone suggest a genius/family I can research photos/descriptions
of while I am retrieving the find?  I hope to have a photo soon.

Regards,
Eman

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