Abstract:
Mollusks are invertebrate animals that live in brackish water or
marine habitats. The diversity and complexity of these habitats are due to
winds, waves, tides, bottom features, daytime illumination, geologic origin of
shoreline and ecologic conditions ofthe oceans. Assembly ofbivalve and univalve
mollusks occur due to the eustatic changes and the prevalence ofcoastal hazards.
Stratigraphic sequences ofshell beds along the southern coast between Kalametiya
Kalapuwa (lagoon) and Bundala Lewaya (salt-pan) clearly indicate that shells
have been piled up together with stone artifacts, pieces of pottery, human bones
and other animal bones. These were caused by severe storm wave action on
mounds in lagoon and lake bottoms, on sand dunes and headlands. The present
study shows that the shell valves of lagoon, lake and channel beds (floors of
marine and brackish pools) mostly accumulated in situ consequent to the
lowering of sea level between 5030 - 4390 and 3930 - 3290y B.P.
