Last week Cogstone Resource Management (http://www.cogstone.com) delivered a collection of Pleistocene deposits from Ventura County to the Western Science Center. This included a number of both vertebrate and invertebrate fossils.These photos show a shell from an abelone, Haliotis sp.. While the shell looks a lot like a clam, abelone are actually snails; the light-colored early whirls of the shell are visible adjacent to the scale bar. It's also clear on the other side of the shell that it's not from a clam, as there is no hinge line to articulate with a second shell (below). This view also shows off the opalescence for which abelone are famous.
Abelone typically live in fairly shallow water just below the intertidal zone, where they feed on algae. Associated fossils in this collection also indicate a similar shallow marine setting.This abelone and other fossils from this site will be featured in an exhibit opening at WSC this fall. Thanks to Cogstone for bringing it to us!