Hartungias

Hartungias are a genus of extinct marine bivalve mollusks that lived during the Triassic and Jurassic periods. These fossils are characterized by their equivalve shells, meaning both valves are roughly the same size and shape. The shells of Hartungias are typically rounded to ovate, with prominent radial ribs that often bifurcate towards the margin. The internal structure reveals a monomyarian musculature, indicating a likely free-swimming lifestyle rather than being cemented to a substrate. Their distribution is primarily found in marine sedimentary rocks of the Tethyan realm, suggesting they inhabited warm, shallow seas during the Mesozoic Era. Fossil specimens are relatively rare, making them of particular interest to paleontologists studying bivalve evolution and paleoecology. The genus was first described by Gemmellaro in 1890. Detailed analysis of their shell morphology and geological context has helped to understand their ecological niche and relationships within the broader group of bivalves.