Wat verstaan we onder fossiele en subfossiele schelpen?

The discussion on the meaning of subfossil is not a new one and not everyone is happy with this word. Geikie in 1885 already thought it an intolerable barbarism. The author thinks we still can use subfossil in the meaning suggested by Van Regteren Altena for remains or traces of Recent organisms which make the impression of being fossil by their state of preservation. Brown and black coloured Cerastoderma edule and Macoma balthica shells from our coast stem from 6-8000 year old tidal flat deposits eroded in front of the coast. Brown and black coloured shells of Spisula subtruncata and of other open sea species are eroded from 2-4000 year old deposits as Eisma reports. Apart from this difference in colour the Spisula shells are also thicker than the recent ones. Whether we call these shells old, fossil or subfossil remains a question of personal taste.