The shells of clams are held together by a ligament that decays after death. This makes the proportion of articulated bi

[answerhappygod]

The shells of clams are held together by a ligament that decays
after death. This makes the proportion of articulated bivalve
shells useful for determining how the organism was buried and
preserved, making it a good taphonomic indicator, as separated
shells must have been disturbed in some way prior to preservation.
Look at the hinge attachment in a brachiopod sample. Why is
the proportion of articulated shells generally not used as a
taphonomic indicator for brachiopod assemblages?