Kingdom Animalia Family Ophiceratidae Rank Genus Subclass Ammonites | Superfamily Otoceratoidea Phylum Mollusca Order Ceratitida | |
Similar Ammonites, Meekoceras, Xenodiscus, Ceratitida, Cyclolobus | ||
Ophiceras is a genus of smooth, evolute ceratitid ammonites from the Lower Triassic, with a rounded venter.
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Diagnosis
The shell of Ophiceras evolute, whorls all showing, slowly increasing in height, and slightly embracing the previous. Umbilicus, wide and moderately deep. Surface ornamented with faint folds, which in some develop into coarse ribs in the mature growth stage, and transverse striae. Suture is ceratitic, lobes and saddles usually long and narrow. (Smith, 1932. Arkell, 1957)
Taxonomy
Ophiceras is included in the Ophiceratidae according to the American Treatise (Arkell, 1957) but was earlier placed in the Xenodiscidae in Smith (1932.
Five subgenera are recognized: Ophiceras (Ophiceras), O. (Acanthophiceras), O. (Discophiceras), O. (Lytophiceras), O. (Metophiceras).
Ophiceras is the probably source of Flemingites , which it somewhat resembles.