Trachyteuthis hastiformis
Encyclopedia
Trachyteuthis is a genus of fossil teuthid, comprising four species: T. hastiformis, T. nusplingensis, T. teudopsiformis, and T. covacevichi.
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. It is clear that it does at least belong in the Coleoidea
. It is thought to be very closely related to Teudopsis
.
of the UK; the Solenhofen limestone of Germany, Jurassic deposits in Antarctica, and Oxfordian deposits in Chile.
cuttlebone by Rüppell in 1829. A separate genus was erected for the material in 1846 by Meyer. English material was discovered in 1855 and 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.
Taxonomy
The taxonomicTaxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
placement of Trachyteuthis is uncertain. Though often assigned to the order
Order (biology)
In scientific classification used in biology, the order is# a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, family, genus, and species, with order fitting in between class and family...
Vampyromorphida
Vampyromorphida
Vampyromorphida is an order of cephalopods comprising one known extant species and many extinct taxa. Physically, they somewhat resemble octopuses, but the eight main tentacles are united by a web of skin, and two smaller tentacles are also present.-Classification:*Order Vampyromorphida**?Suborder...
, the discovery of fossilised Trachyteuthis beaks in the Upper Jurassic limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
suggests a close phylogenetic
Phylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
relation to the Octopoda. It is clear that it does at least belong in the Coleoidea
Coleoidea
Subclass Coleoidea, or Dibranchiata, is the grouping of cephalopods containing all the primarily soft-bodied creatures. Unlike its sister group Nautiloidea, whose members have a rigid outer shell for protection, the coleoids have at most an internal bone or shell that is used for buoyancy or support...
. It is thought to be very closely related to Teudopsis
Teudopsis
Teudopsis is a genus of the coleoid cephalopod family Teudopsidae, known only from Lower Jurassic gladii. It has been reported from Alberta, Canada and Europe....
.
Distribution
Fossils are scarce but have been reported from the Kimmeridge clayKimmeridge Clay
The Kimmeridge Clay Formation is a sedimentary deposit of fossiliferous marine clay which is of Jurassic age. It occurs in Europe.Kimmeridge Clay is arguably the most economically important unit of rocks in the whole of Europe, being the major source rock for oil fields in the North Sea hydrocarbon...
of the UK; the Solenhofen limestone of Germany, Jurassic deposits in Antarctica, and Oxfordian deposits in Chile.
History
First described in 1773 as the remnants of a fish, Trachyteuthis was considered comparable to a SepiaSepia
-Marine life:* Sepia , a genus of cuttlefish* Cephalopod ink, a dark pigment released into water by Sepia cuttlefish-Media and entertainment:* Sepia , an African Americans focused Photojournalism magazine...
cuttlebone by Rüppell in 1829. A separate genus was erected for the material in 1846 by Meyer. English material was discovered in 1855 and 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.