Titanoceras
Encyclopedia
Titanoceras is an extinct genus in the nautiloid order Nautilida
from the Pennsylvanian
and Lower Permian
of North America and Western Australia.
Titanoceras grew to be fairly large, with a tightly spiraled shell that reached a diameter of about 8 in (20 cm +) with about three volutions. The inner coils are partially enveloped by the next outer, resulting in a channel or impression along the inner rim, the dorsum. Otherwise all whorls are visible. (The descriptive term is evolute). Whorls have a somehat rectangular cross section that is wider than high; in contrast with the otherwise similar and contemporary Domatoceras. The venter, which forms the outer rim, may be broadly arched. Septa are close spaced making chambers broad but short. Sutures have shallow lobes along the sides and across the venter and short saddles in between, along the ventro-lateral shoulders, but go straight across the dorsum
Titanoceras is found is limestone, indicating it lived in sallow-water carbonate banks. It could no doubt swim, but probably was not an active swimmer like fish and squid. It most likely spent its time crawling over or just above the sea floor. Titanoceras probably preyed upon crustaceans, bottom fish, and perhaps other cephalopods.
Titanoceras is placed in the Grypoceratidae
, a family of similar genera within the Nautilida. Nautilid families that are more similar and have a common ancestor are combined in superfamilies. The Grypoceratidae are part of the Trigonocerataceae
.
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...
from the Pennsylvanian
Pennsylvanian
The Pennsylvanian is, in the ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two subperiods of the Carboniferous Period. It lasted from roughly . As with most other geochronologic units, the rock beds that define the Pennsylvanian are well identified, but the exact date of the start and end are uncertain...
and Lower 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...
of North America and Western Australia.
Titanoceras grew to be fairly large, with a tightly spiraled shell that reached a diameter of about 8 in (20 cm +) with about three volutions. The inner coils are partially enveloped by the next outer, resulting in a channel or impression along the inner rim, the dorsum. Otherwise all whorls are visible. (The descriptive term is evolute). Whorls have a somehat rectangular cross section that is wider than high; in contrast with the otherwise similar and contemporary Domatoceras. The venter, which forms the outer rim, may be broadly arched. Septa are close spaced making chambers broad but short. Sutures have shallow lobes along the sides and across the venter and short saddles in between, along the ventro-lateral shoulders, but go straight across the dorsum
Titanoceras is found is limestone, indicating it lived in sallow-water carbonate banks. It could no doubt swim, but probably was not an active swimmer like fish and squid. It most likely spent its time crawling over or just above the sea floor. Titanoceras probably preyed upon crustaceans, bottom fish, and perhaps other cephalopods.
Titanoceras is placed in the Grypoceratidae
Grypoceratidae
Grypoceratidae is the longest lived family of the Trigonocerataceae, or of the near equivalent Centroceratina; members of the Nautilida from the Upper Paleozoic and Triassic.-Diagnosis:...
, a family of similar genera within the Nautilida. Nautilid families that are more similar and have a common ancestor are combined in superfamilies. The Grypoceratidae are part of the Trigonocerataceae
Trigonocerataceae
The Trigonocerataceae is a superfamily within the Nautilida that ranged from the Devonian to the Triassic that is thought to have contained the source for the Nautilaceae in which Nautilus is found....
.