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Semiannuloceras

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Semiannuloceras
Temporal range: Ordovician
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Orthocerida
Family: Baltoceratidae
Genus: Semiannuloceras
Evans, 2005

Semiannuloceras is an extinct genus of actively mobile carnivorous cephalopod of the family Baltoceratidae that lived in what would be Europe during the Ordovician from 490–460 mya, existing for approximately 6 million years.[1]

Taxonomy

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Semiannuloceras was named by Evans (2005). Its type is Semiannuloceras abbeyense. It was assigned to Baltoceratidae by Evans (2005).[2]

Morphology

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The shell is usually long, and may be straight ("orthoconic") or gently curved. In life, these animals may have been similar to the modern squid, except for the long shell.

References

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  1. ^ PaleoBiology Database: Semiannulocerase, basic info
  2. ^ D. H. Evans. 2005. The Lower and Middle Ordovician cephalopod faunas of England and Wales. Monograph of the Palaeontographical Society 623 :1–81
  • Fossils (Smithsonian Handbooks) by David Ward