• Korean Journal of Heritage: History & Science
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.218-231
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• 2012

A total of 126 fossil scaphopods (121 specimens from the Hagjeon Formation and 5 specimens from the Duho Formation) were found from the Cenozoic strata, Hagjeon and Duho Formations, Pohang Basin, Korea. Five species belonging two genera (Fissidentalium yokoyamai, F. sp. A, B, and Rhabdus sp. A, B) were classified: the most dominant species is Fissidentalium yokoyamai. The species of Fissidentalium yokoyamai is characterized by curved shell (accuration=3.90%) and very closely spaced longitudinal ribs on shell surfaces, while the species of Rhabdus is a nearly straight shell characterized by concentric growth lines without longitudinal ribs. Identification of two genera is somewhat easy due to such morphological differences but classification at generic level is hard because diagnostic features (e.g., cross section and apical structure) are lost in the most specimens. Consequently, except for Fissidentalium yokoyamai, the rest were classified temporarily as F. sp. A, B, and Rhabdus sp. A, B. Two types of preservation state were recognized: one is three-dimensionally preserved specimen (3D specimen) and the other is compressed specimen. Internal parts of the 3D specimen is filled with clastic sediments identical to the surrounding sediments of the shells, which is not observed in the compressed specimens. It is, thus, concluded that the 3D fossils were originally empty but internal cavity were immediately filled with the sediments, which may have protect from the compaction due to pressure during deposition of the gravelly to coarse sandstone of the Hagjeon Formation.