Rutoceratidae
Encyclopedia
The Rutoceratidae are the prototypical nautilids
, derived probably from either the Brevicoceratidae or Acleistoceratidae of the Oncocerida
early in the Devonian. The Rutoceratidae comprise a family within the oncocerid superfamily Tainocerataceae
They are generally characterized by cyrtoconic and gyroconic shells, commonly with spines, nodes, or frills, although some included genera are almost orthoconic, and a commonly empty, tubular ventral siphuncle.
The Rutocertidae lived during the Devonian
and Mississippian (early Carboniferous) and are the ancestral stock of the entire Nautilida.
Within the Taintocerataceae, rutoceratids gave rise to the exclusively Devonian Tetragonoceratidae and near the start of the Mississippian to the Koninkioceratidae which lasted into the Permian
and to the Tainoceratidae which lasted through most of the Triassic
.
Nautilida
The Nautilida constitute a large and diverse order of generally coiled nautiloid cephalopods that began in the mid Paleozoic and continues to the present with a single family, the Nautilidae which includes two genera, Nautilus and Allonautilus, with six species...
, derived probably from either the Brevicoceratidae or Acleistoceratidae of the Oncocerida
Oncocerida
The Oncocerida comprise a diverse group of generally small nautiloid cephalopods known from the Middle Ordovician to the Mississippian ,in which the connecting rings are thin and siphuncle segments are variably expanded...
early in the Devonian. The Rutoceratidae comprise a family within the oncocerid superfamily Tainocerataceae
Tainocerataceae
The Tainocerataceae is a superfamily in the cephalopod order Nautilida characterized by straight to loosely coiled shells, generally with a degressed, such that the width is greater than the height, to quadrate whorl section. Many bore spines, ribs, frills, wings, or nodes...
They are generally characterized by cyrtoconic and gyroconic shells, commonly with spines, nodes, or frills, although some included genera are almost orthoconic, and a commonly empty, tubular ventral siphuncle.
The Rutocertidae lived during the Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
and Mississippian (early Carboniferous) and are the ancestral stock of the entire Nautilida.
Within the Taintocerataceae, rutoceratids gave rise to the exclusively Devonian Tetragonoceratidae and near the start of the Mississippian to the Koninkioceratidae which lasted into the Permian
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
and to the Tainoceratidae which lasted through most of the Triassic
Triassic
The Triassic is a geologic period and system that extends from about 250 to 200 Mya . As the first period of the Mesozoic Era, the Triassic follows the Permian and is followed by the Jurassic. Both the start and end of the Triassic are marked by major extinction events...
.