Rudist Reefs

About 100 million years ago, during the heyday of the dinosaurs, reefs were built by mollusks called rudist clams. They looked very different from today's coral reefs. Discover more about the evolution of marine life in our Ocean Over Time interactive.

Tags: 
Cretaceous period, Scientific illustrations, Mollusks, Paleobiology, Geologic time

Elevator Rudists

A long, heavy valve anchored "elevator" rudists in the sediment. They used the tentacles to filter food.

Credit: Mary Parrish/Smithsonian Institution

Recliner Rudists

Notice the pink tentacles, which “recliners” used to filter feed.

Credit: Mary Parrish/Smithsonian Institution

Carbonate Reef (Cretaceous Period: 145 - 65 Million Years Ago)

Rudist clams were major reef builders during the heyday of dinosaurs.

Credit: Smithsonian Institution

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