Trachyteuthis is a genus of extinct octopodiform cephalopods, comprising six species: T. hastiformis, T. latipinnis, T. nusplingensis, T. teudopsiformis,[2] T. covacevichi[3] and T. chilensis.[1]

Trachyteuthis
Temporal range: Callovian–Cenomanian
Reconstruction of Trachyteuthis hastiformis
Trachyteuthis hastiformis, Jura Museum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Subclass:
Superorder:
Order:
Family:
Trachyteuthididae

Naef, 1922
Subfamily:
Trachyteuthidinae

Naef, 1921
Genus:
Trachyteuthis

Meyer, 1846
Species
  • T. chilensis
    Riccardi, 2016[1]
  • T. covacevichi
    Fuchs, 2008
  • T. hastiformis
    (Rüppel, 1828)
  • T. latipinnis
    (Owen, 1855)
  • T. nusplingensis
    Fuchs, 2007
  • T. teudopsiformis
    Fuchs, 2007

Taxonomy

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The taxonomic placement of Trachyteuthis is uncertain. Though often assigned to the order Vampyromorphida, the discovery of fossilised Trachyteuthis beaks in the Upper Jurassic limestone of Germany suggests a close phylogenetic relation to the Octopoda.[4][5] It is clear that it does at least belong in the Coleoidea.[2] It is thought to be very closely related to Teudopsis.[3]

Distribution

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Fossils are scarce but have been reported from the Kimmeridge clay of the UK; the Solnhofen limestone of Germany, Jurassic deposits in Antarctica,[6] and Oxfordian deposits in Chile.[3]

History

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Fossilised gladius structure of T. hastiformis

First described in 1773 as the remnants of a fish, Trachyteuthis was considered comparable to a Sepia cuttlebone by Rüppell in 1829. A separate genus was erected for the material in 1846 by Meyer.[2] English material discovered in 1855 was termed Coccoteuthis latipinnis; this was later synonymised with the identical Solnhofen deposits. A 2007 survey of museum collection established that there were ground for the erection of three species within the genus.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Alberto C. Riccardi (2016). "Callovian and Oxfordian (Jurassic) teuthids (Coleoidea, Cephalopoda) from Chile". Journal of Paleontology. 90 (5): 910–922. Bibcode:2016JPal...90..910R. doi:10.1017/jpa.2016.110. S2CID 132913234.
  2. ^ a b c d Fuchs, D.; Engeser, T.; Keupp, H. (2007). "Gladius shape variation in coleoid cephalopod Trachyteuthis from the Upper Jurassic Nusplingen and Solnhofen Plattenkalks" (PDF). Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 52 (3): 575–589. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-03-23.
  3. ^ a b c Fuchs, D.; Schultze, H.-P. (2008). "Trachyteuthis covacevichin. Sp., a Late Jurassic Palaeopacific coleoid cephalopod". Fossil Record. 11 (1): 39. Bibcode:2008FossR..11...39F. doi:10.1002/mmng.200700012.
  4. ^ Klug, C.; Schweigert, G.; Dietl, G.; Fuchs, D. (2005). "Coleoid beaks from the nusplingen Lithographic Limestone (Upper Kimmeridgian, SW Germany)". Lethaia. 38 (3): 173. Bibcode:2005Letha..38..173K. doi:10.1080/00241160510013303.
  5. ^ Fischer, J.; Riou, B. (2002). "Vampyronassa rhodanica nov. gen. nov sp., vampyromorphe (Cephalopoda, Coleoidea) du Callovien inférieur de la Voulte-sur-Rhône (Ardèche, France)". Annales de Paléontologie. 88 (1): 1. Bibcode:2002AnPal..88....1F. doi:10.1016/S0753-3969(02)01037-6.
  6. ^ Doyle, P. (1991). "Teuthid cephalopods from the Upper Jurassic of Antarctica" (PDF). Palaeontology. 34 (1): 169–178. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-24.
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