The identity of the subgenera Isocrassina Chavan, 1950, Laevastarte Hinsch, 1952, and Ashtarotha Dall, 1903, of the genus Astarte Sowerby, 1816 in the family Astartidae (Mollusca, Bivalvia) is discussed. Isocrassina has been widely used for Pliocene species in the North Sea Basin. Here it is demonst...

Coelastarte fuersichi (Bivalvia; Astartidae) is here described as a new, endemic species from the Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) of northern Chile. Taphonomic evidence suggests that C. fuersichi was a shallow infaunal burrower with the posterior end directed upwards and projecting above the sea-floo...