Brachiopod larvae
Distribution:
Alaska to southern Baja California.
Habitat:
Planktonic larvae, sessile adults.
Size:
0.3-1.5 mm
Diet:
Phytoplankton.
Useful Facts or Characters:
At first glance they can be mistaken for a clam or bivalved mollusk. Lingula larvae have a two-valved shell. The valves are dorsal and ventral in orientation. Commonly called 'lamp shells.' They are chitinous in appearance and usually a pale amber color when preserved.
Natural History:
They are filter-feeders and a member of the phylum Brachiopoda.