Taffertia is an extinct genus of cephalopod belonging to the family Hildoceratidae. These cephalopods existed in the Jurassic period, during Toarcian age in the Falciferum zone and possibly only in Exaratum subzone. Its fossils were found in Canada, Morocco, Algeria and Italy[1][2][3]

Taffertia
Temporal range: Early Toarcian[1]
Fossil shell of Taffertia taffertensis from High Atlas (Morocco), in personal collection
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Ammonoidea
Order: Ammonitida
Family: Hildoceratidae
Subfamily: Harpoceratinae
Genus: Taffertia
Guex, 1973
Type species
Taffertia taffertensis
Guex, 1973

Description edit

Moderately involute, keeled, tectiform, sub-ogival shell with bold, regularly bifurcating ribs. It is similar to Pseudolioceras, but is more evolute and differs from other Harpoceratinae by having bifurcating ribs.[1][4]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c M. K. Howarth 2013. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part L, Revised, Volume 3B, Chapter 4: Psiloceratoidea, Eoderoceratoidea, Hildoceratoidea.
  2. ^ The Paleobiology Database
  3. ^ MOUTERDE, R.; ELMI, S. Caracteres differentiels des faunes d'Ammonites du Toarcien des bordures de la Tethys; signification paleogeographique. Bulletin de la Société géologique de France, 1991, 162.6: 1185-1195.
  4. ^ J. Guex 1973. Aperçu biostratigraphique sur le Toarcien inférieur du Moyen-Atlas marocain et discussion sur la zonation de ce sous-étage dans les séries méditerranéennes, Eclogae Geologicae Helvetiae 66 (1973) Heft 3