Fossil History
Shoreline sites along the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia, found evidence of preserved Pinctada margaritifera specimens.At the fist site, located at the southern end of the Bay of Salwah, im above sea level, shells of Pinctada margaritifera are present and were carbon dated at 4585 ±60 yr B.P.The second site within this region is 1.8m above sea level and located south of Qurayyah. Unaltered Pinctada margaritifera from these beds were dated to 3695 ±50 yr B.P.At the third site, which is composed of well stratified sands, Pinctada margaritifera from this deposit gave an age of 4460 ±60 yr B.P (McClure & Vita-Finzi 1982). |