| Sphooceras Temporal range:
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| Full-color live reconstruction of Sphooceras. | |
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| Genus: | †Sphooceras
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| †Sphooceras truncatum (Barrande, 1860)
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Sphooceras is a genus of primitive cephalopod from the Silurian period. Most fossils have been found in the Czech Republic, but possible fossils may also exist in other countries.[1][2] It is currently known from two species, Sphooceras disjunctum and Sphooceras truncatum.
Description
[edit]Multiple individuals of Sphooceras have been found, possibly even sporting various growth stages. While the larvae sported coiled shells, adult individuals were found have sported truncated, straight shells, giving them a rather sausage-like appearance.[2][3] They are among the earliest cephalopods to sport a fully-covered mantle, similar to that of a cowrie, and may have even repaired such shells similarly. Fossilized remains also show possible patterning of stripes similar to those sported on the extant nautilus, probably for camouflage.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ "Fossilworks: Sphooceras".
- ^ a b Turek, V.; Manda, Š. (2012). ""An endocochleate experiment" in the Silurian straight-shelled cephalopod Sphooceras". Bulletin of Geosciences: 767–813. doi:10.3140/bull.geosci.1335.
- ^ a b "500 million years of cephalopod fossils".
