Fossil plate matrix - 505 mm - 400 mm

Large plaque of fossilized Saint-Jacques clams is an exceptional find containing more than a dozen specimens of Gigantopectens restitutensis, a species of scallop also known as the Saint-Jacques clam. These fossils date from the Miocene period, approximately 18 million years ago, and were found in the Lacoste Quarry, located in the Vaucluse region of France.
Gigantopectens restitutensis fossils are characterized by large fossilized shells emerging from their natural limestone matrix. This scallop lived from about 34 million years ago until its extinction about 781,000 years ago. The Saint-Jacques shell is an informal term referring to this species of scallop, probably associated with its similarity to the shells of the species Pecten maximus, commonly called Saint-Jacques in French.