Orthocycloceras


Orthocycloceras, from Ancient Greek ὀρθός, meaning "straight", κύκλος, meaning "circle", and κέρας, meaning "horn", is an extinct genus of actively mobile carnivorous cephalopods, essentially a nautiloid, that lived in what would be Europe during the Silurian to Devonian from 428.2 to 412.3 mya, existing for approximately.

Taxonomy

Orthocycloceras was assigned to Orthocerida Sepkoski.

Morphology

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

Fossil distribution

Fossil distribution is exclusive to Sardinia and Austria.