| Waht is Orthoceras ? |
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Orthoceras
("straight horn") is a
genus of extinct
nautiloid
cephalopod. This genus is sometimes called
Orthoceratites. Note it is sometimes misspelled
as Orthocera, Orthocerus or
Orthoceros (Sweet
1964:K222).
Orthoceras
fossils are common and have a global distribution,
occurring in any marine rock, especially
limestones.
These are slender, elongate shells with the middle of the body chamber transversely constricted, and a subcentral orthochoanitic siphuncle. The surface is ornamented by a network of fine lirae (Sweet 1964:K224). Many other very similar species are included under the genus Michelinoceras. Orthoceras's closest living relative is the Nautilus. (definition of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthoceras )
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