Belosaepia

Extinct genus of molluscs

Belosaepia
Temporal range: Eocene
PreꞒ
O
S
D
C
P
T
J
K
Pg
N
Belosepia sepioidea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Sepiida
Family: Belosaepiidae
Genus: Belosaepia
Species
  • B. ungula Gabb, 1860 (= B. uncinata, B. harrisi, B. alabamensis voltzi Palmer, 1937)[1]
  • B. veatchii Palmer, 1937 (= B. alabamensis Palmer, 1937)[1]
  • B. saccaria Palmer, 1937

Belosaepia, occasionally incorrectly Belosepia,[2] is an extinct genus of cuttlefish-like cephalopod known from the Eocene.[1]

Morphology

Species of the genus Belosaepia reached 18 centimetres (7.1 in) in length and 5 centimetres (2.0 in) across and had a large siphuncle that penetrated its oblique septa.[1] The shell was endogastrically coiled.[1] It had a small belemnite-like guard, which took the form of a short horn at the posterior end of the shell;[1] usually, only a small portion of the shell closest to the guard is preserved. The chambers in the shell closely resemble those present in the cuttlebone of modern cuttlefish.[1]

Ecology

Belosaepia lived close to the sea floor.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Yancey, T. E.; Garvie, C. L.; Wicksten, M. (2010). "The Middle Eocene Belosaepia ungula (Cephalopoda: Coleoida) from Texas: Structure, Ontogeny and Function" (PDF). Journal of Paleontology. 84 (2): 267–287. doi:10.1666/09-018R.1.
  2. ^ e.g. "Functional Morphology of the Eocene Coleoid Belosepia".
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Notable fossil cephalopods (listed by first occurrence)
Cenozoic
  • The belemnite-cuttlefish-like Belosaepia
Evolution of
cephalopods
Mesozoic
Ceratitid ammonoids
late Nautilida
Advanced belemnoids
Diplobelids: Diplobelus
Belemnites:
Belemnites
Belemnopsis
Belemnotheutis
Palaeozoic
First appearance of long-lasting lineages
Goniatite and ceratite ammonoids
Probable coleoid ancestor Bactritida
Early coleoids: Jeletzkya?, Gordoniconus, Syllipsimopodi
Earliest belemnoids: Aulacocerids
Phragmoteuthids
Early forms
the earliest cephalopod group Ellesmerocerida
Orthocones: Endocerida, Orthocerida, Actinocerida
Brevicones: Ascocerida, Oncocerida
Earliest coiled cephalopods: Tarphycerida
Spirulid?: Shimanskya
Misidentified
Taxon identifiers
Belosaepia