Parasphaerorthoceras
Encyclopedia
Parasphaerorthoceras is an extinct orthocerid
cephalapod genus, a nautiloid, that lived in what would be Europe
and north Africa
during the Silurian
from 422.9—418.1 mya, having existed for approximately .
.
Jack Sepkoski (2002) listed it in the Orthocerida
where the family had been assigned.
") with a circular cross section. The initial chamber is spheroidal, followed by a distinct constriction.
The apical part of the shell is wavy but becomes striated, then smooth in later growth stages. The siphuncle is central or subcentral. Septal necks suborthochoanitic. Sutures are straight.
In life, these animals may have been similar to the modern squid
, except for the long shell.
, Italy
, Sardinia
, and Morocco
.
Orthocerida
Orthocerida is an order of extinct nautiloid cephalopods also known as the Michelinocerda that lived from the Early Ordovician possibly to the Late Triassic . A fossil found in the Caucasus suggests they may even have survived until the Early Cretaceous...
cephalapod genus, a nautiloid, that lived in what would be Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and north Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
during the Silurian
Silurian
The Silurian is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Ordovician Period, about 443.7 ± 1.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Devonian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya . As with other geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period's start and end are well identified, but the...
from 422.9—418.1 mya, having existed for approximately .
Taxonomy
Parasphaerorthoceras was named by Ristedt 1968 and is the type genus of SphaerorthoceratidaeSphaerorthoceratidae
Sphaeorthoceratidae is an extinct family of orthocone cephalopods that lived in the Paleozoic Era. They were similar to the nautiloid Michelinoceras in the apex, but had shorter necks to their septa that were orthochoanitic or suborthochoanitic....
.
Jack Sepkoski (2002) listed it in the Orthocerida
Orthocerida
Orthocerida is an order of extinct nautiloid cephalopods also known as the Michelinocerda that lived from the Early Ordovician possibly to the Late Triassic . A fossil found in the Caucasus suggests they may even have survived until the Early Cretaceous...
where the family had been assigned.
Morphology
The shell of Parasphaerorthoceras is generally straight, ("orthoconicOrthocone
An orthocone is a usually long straight shell of a nautiloid cephalopod. During the 18th and 19th centuries, all shells of this type were named Orthoceras, but it is now known that many groups of nautiloids developed or retained this type of shell....
") with a circular cross section. The initial chamber is spheroidal, followed by a distinct constriction.
The apical part of the shell is wavy but becomes striated, then smooth in later growth stages. The siphuncle is central or subcentral. Septal necks suborthochoanitic. Sutures are straight.
In life, these animals may have been similar to the modern squid
Squid
Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...
, except for the long shell.
Fossil distribution
Parasphaerothoceras species have been found in AustriaAustria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, and Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.