I wasn't expecting to hear about Ostracods on this list, but since the
subject has come up - here goes! I recently got my Ph.D on Cretaceous
Ostracods from eastern England and thought I'd add a few notes to the last
post. There is a list concerned solely with this group (OSTRACON). I could
forward the image to this list, if some kind soul out there would mind
forwarding it to me again (damn the delete button) privately.

    Ostracods also live in marine and brackish water as well as freshwater.
The animal is laterally compressed and enclosed within a bivalved
(calcareous) carapace.They can be free-swimming and planktonic, but many
walk on the sediment surface or burrow into it. In marine environments,
water depths range from the deep sea to intertidal. Most are small (less
than 1mm long) but larger specimens are not unknown. Classification of
recent forms is based on soft parts, while fossil taxonomy is based on
carapace morphology, hingement and muscle scars. Ostracods are of use in
water quality and pollution studies but are also of considerable
stratigraphic use, and can be used to demonstrate variations in salinity,
temperature, depth and shoreline fluctuations.
That's all, thanks for listening,

R. Pyne


----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas E. Eichhorst" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 6:21 PM
Subject: Re: Correct link for bivalve


> Ostracods are small crustaceans with the common name of water flea.  They
> are common freshwater plankton and a good indicator of water quality.  It
is
> a shell (although not a calcite or aragonite as in mollusks) and they are
> free swimming with just feet and feelers sticking out of the shell and the
> rest of their body hidden and protected within.
>
> Tom E.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Conchologists of America List [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> > Behalf Of Marcus Coltro
> > Sent: Friday, September 27, 2002 10:56 AM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: Correct link for bivalve
> >
> >
> > Paul,Tom and Paulino,
> >
> > Thanks - I had the same feeling it was not a shell. I am not
familiarized
> > with ostracods neither, but I will take your words on it!
> >
> > Marcus