Gymnites

Gymnites
Temporal range: Triassic, 247.2–235.0 Ma

[1]

Gymnites incultus from Bosnia, on display at Galerie de paléontologie et d'anatomie comparée in Paris
Scientific classification
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Ammonoidea
Order: Ceratitida
Superfamily: Ceratitaceae
Family: Gymnitidae
Genus: Gymnites
Mojsisovics, 1882
This article is about a genus of cephalopods. For the form of antigorite, see Gymnite.

Gymnites is a genus of ammonoid cephalopod from the Middle Triassic belonging to the ceratitid family Gymnitidae. These nektonic carnivores lived during the Triassic period, Anisian age. [2]

Species

[1]

Description

The shell of Gymnites is evolute, generally smooth, with a wide umbilicus. Whorls are moderately embracing, whorl section oval and somewhat compressed. The outer whorl may be costate or have rows of nodes, or both. The suture is ammonitic with a wide bifurcated ventral lobe and two lateral lobes on either side.

Taxonomic relation

Hyatt and Smith (1905, p. 115)included Gymnites in the Gymnitidae along with Ophiceras, Flemingites, and Xenaspis, genera since assigned elsewhere, and included the Gymnitidae in the suborder Ceratitoidea (now the superfamily Ceratitaceae). Smith (1932, p. 30) shows Gymenites derived from Xenaspis and giving rise to the Pinacoceratidae.

The American Treatise (Part L, 1957) also includes Gymnites in the Gymnitidae, along with mainly descendant forms such as Buddhaites, Japonites, and variations on Gymnites itself, but instead included the Gymnitidae in the Pinacocerataceae which is consistent with Smith's derivation of the Pinacoceratidae from Gymnites.

Distribution

Fossils of species within this genus have been found in the Triassic of Afghanistan, Canada, China, Hungary, Iran, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, United States. [1]

References

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