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Bivalves

Fossil shellfish with two matching valves, common on most marine sites.

Cambrian to present. · Beginner to find

What is it?

Bivalves — oysters, scallops, mussels and their relatives — are among the most frequent fossils on British coasts. Large Jurassic oysters such as Gryphaea, known as devil's toenails, are a familiar first find.

What does it look like?

Two matching curved shells, ribbed or smooth. Gryphaea is thick, curved and hooked like a claw.

How to identify it

  1. 01Each valve is asymmetrical, but the pair mirror one another.
  2. 02Devil's toenails weather free from clay and lie loose on the foreshore.

Where to find bivalves in the UK

Map of the United Kingdom showing fossil hunting regionsLyme Regis — DorsetCharmouth — DorsetSeatown — DorsetEype Beach — DorsetKimmeridge Bay — DorsetRingstead Bay — DorsetChurch Ope Cove, Portland — DorsetBeer Beach — DevonBranscombe — DevonKilve Beach — SomersetWatchet — SomersetBlue Anchor — SomersetAust Cliff — South GloucestershireCompton Bay — Isle of WightYaverland, Sandown — Isle of WightBarton on Sea — HampshireBracklesham Bay — West SussexHastings and Fairlight — East SussexHerne Bay — KentWarden Point, Isle of Sheppey — KentFolkestone Warren — KentWalton-on-the-Naze — EssexBawdsey — SuffolkHunstanton — NorfolkWest Runton — NorfolkWhitby — North YorkshireRunswick Bay — North YorkshireRobin Hood's Bay — North YorkshireStaithes — North YorkshirePort Mulgrave — North YorkshireSaltburn-by-the-Sea — Redcar and ClevelandFiley Brigg — North YorkshireDunraven Bay, Southerndown — Vale of GlamorganLlantwit Major — Vale of GlamorganPenarth — Vale of GlamorganHowick Haven — Northumberland
  1. 01Lyme RegisDorset · DorsetAmmonites · Belemnites · Bivalves · Marine reptile remainsBeginnerFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →
  2. 02CharmouthDorset · DorsetAmmonites · Belemnites · Bivalves · Fossilised woodBeginnerFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →
  3. 03SeatownDorset · DorsetAmmonites · Belemnites · Bivalves · Fossilised woodEasyFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →
  4. 04Eype BeachDorset · DorsetAmmonites · Belemnites · BivalvesEasyFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →
  5. 05Kimmeridge BayDorset · DorsetAmmonites · Bivalves · Fossilised wood · Marine reptile remainsModerateFamily friendlyBeach, Cliff, Geological siteExplore location →
  6. 06Ringstead BayDorset · DorsetAmmonites · Bivalves · Sea urchins · GastropodsModerateBeach, CliffExplore location →
  7. 07Church Ope Cove, PortlandDorset · DorsetBivalves · Gastropods · Ammonites · Fossilised woodModerateBeach, CliffExplore location →
  8. 08Beer BeachDevon · DevonSea urchins · Belemnites · Bivalves · BrachiopodsEasyFamily friendlyBeach, CliffExplore location →

Regions

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