Brevicoceratidae

Brevicoceratidae Temporal range: Ludlow–Devonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Subclass:	Nautiloidea
Order:	†Oncocerida
Family:	†Brevicoceratidae Flower, 1941

The Brevicoceratidae is a family of oncocerids that contains genera characterized by exogastric (or rarely endogastric) gyrocones, brevicones, and torticones.[1][2] that tend to develop vestigial actinosiphonate deposits and subtriangular transverse sections. The Brevicoceratidae are derived from Oonoceras (Oncoceratidae) and range from the mid-Silurian to the Upper Devonian.[2]

Brevicoceratidae is named for the Middle Devonian genus, Brevicoceras, from North America.[2] All told there are some 17 named genera. The family begins with Oxygonioceras in the Middle Silurian,[2] sole recognized representative of that time, and reaches its greatest diversity with 12 genera in the Middle Devonian.[2] The Brevicoceratidae are reduced to four genera in the Upper Devonian, when they become extinct.

References

1. Flower, Rousseau H.; Kummel, Bernhard (1950). "Flower & Kümmel; a Classification of the Nautiloidea". Journal of Paleontology. 24 (5): 604–616. JSTOR 1299547.
2. Sweet, W. C. (1964). "Nautiloidea-Oncocerida". Nautiloidea. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. Vol. K. Geological Society of America and University of Kansas Press.