What caused the Orthoceras to go extinct?
Orthoceras are a genus of extinct Nautiloids that arrived after the mass Ordovician-Silurian extinction. These were slender shells with the body of the creature inside. The fossils here are of many Orthoceras and some scientists believe this is because of mass deaths after mating.
When did the Orthoceras go extinct?
about 200 million years ago
When Did Orthoceras Go Extinct? Orthoceras disappears from the fossil record during the lower Triassic Period about 200 million years ago.
Are Orthoceras fossils rare?
Orthoceras fossils are found all over the world. These popular fossils are found in Sweden, Morocco, and even in Antarctica. When archaeologists find orthoceras fossils, they are abundant.
How old is a Orthoceras fossil?
Orthoceras are dated to the lower Ordovician to Triassic ages (500 to 190 million years ago).
How are Orthoceras formed?
An orthoceras grew its own shell. It simply grew its shell bigger. It did this by creating a new dividing wall inside the shell called a septa. Today, you can see the septas separated by lines in the fossil. Scientists can tell the age of the orthoceras by looking at how many lines there are.
What is the meaning of Orthoceras?
Definition of Orthoceras : an ill-defined genus of extinct nautiloid cephalopod mollusks having a long tapering shell that is nearly or quite straight, almost smooth, and many-chambered.
What is an Orthoceras fossil?
An orthoceras is an ancient mollusk that lived in the Ordovician period. At that time, the earth was mostly covered in water. It had a soft squid-like body inside a cone shell. Over time, its aragonite shell turned into calcite and fossilized. Let’s explore more fun facts about this fascinating marine fossil!
Where are Orthoceras found?
Morocco
Found in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Orthoceras are an extinct Nautiloid cephalopod that lived from the Ordovician Period to the Triassic Period (500 – 200 million years ago).
How long did the Orthoceras live?
Orthoceras was an ancient cephalopod that lived about 370 million years ago.
Are Orthoceras extinct?
Found in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, Orthoceras are an extinct Nautiloid cephalopod that lived from the Ordovician Period to the Triassic Period (500 – 200 million years ago).