THIS IS DRAFT - INFORMATION MAY BE INCORRECT
- Order Anarcestida
The Anarcestida developed from the Bactritida during the early Devonian, and retain some features common to that group, such as a simple septa and retrochoanitic septal neck. Unlike the Bactritida, however, all Anarcestida have coiled spiral shells and a ventral siphuncle, two features typical of ammonites in general. For this reason, the Anarcestida are considered the first true ammonites. Like the Bactritida, the Anarcestida have simple suture lines with only a few lobes, a large external lobe and a smaller internal lobe. In some species there are only these two lobes, but in others there is an additional lobe on each flank, between the external and internal lobes. This is the lateral lobe, and is usually larger in size than the internal lobe. Although all the Anarcestida had died out by the end of the Devonian, they gave rise to three other ammonite groups. One was very short lived, the Clymeniina, which also became extinct at the end of the Devonian. The second group was the Prolecanitina which was rather more diverse than the Clymeniida, and much more successful, lasting into the Triassic. The third and largest group was the Goniatitida and their descendants, which included all the Jurassic and Cretaceous ammonites. Most of the Anarcestida have lirtle ornamentation, usually limited to fine, sinuous ribs, and they do not have spines. Coiling is typically convolute, with a dorso-ventrally compressed whorl section which expands very slowly, resulting in a globose, compact shell. The aperture lacks lappets or rostra, but does have a hyponomic sinus very similar to that found on the modern nautilus, indicating that, like the nautilus, these ammonites had a moveable hyponome through which water could be jetted for propulsion and orientation. The Anarcestida are relatively abundant in oxygenated, shallow water Sediments perhaps indicating a preference for the coastal waters of the continental shelves. The fact that these ammonites have a well developed hyponomic sinus is probably a good indicator that they were active swimmers, but the relatively globose shell of many species would seem to preclude great speed.
- Anarcestaceae
- Anarcestidae (Emsian-Fammenian) - includes: Anarcestes; Maenioceras
- Agoniatitidae (Emsian-Givetian) - includes: Agoniatites; Mimagoniatites; Paraphyllites, Augurites
- Mimosphinctidae (Emsian-Eifelian) - includes: Teichericeras, Gyroceratites, Anetoceras
- Sobolewiidae (Fammenian) - includes: Sobolewia
- Pharcicerataceae
- Pharciceratidae (Givetian-Frasnian)
- Beloceratidae (Middle to Late Frasnian)
- Gephuroceratidae (Givetian-Frasnian) - includes: Manticoceras. I've seen Manticoceratidae defined as a separate family outside Gephuroceratidae. I do not find significant evidence to support this.
- Pinacitidae - They obviously evolved from Agoniatitidae in the late Eifelian (the shell became more tightly coiled).
- Prolobitaceae
- Prolobitidae (Famenian)
- Anarcestaceae
| Emsian | Eifelian | Givetian | Frasnian | Famennian | |
| Mimosphinctidae | |||||
| Mimagoniatitidae | |||||
| Pinacitidae | |||||
| Agoniotitidae | |||||
| Auguritidae | |||||
| Anarcestidae | |||||
| Sobolewiidae | |||||
| Maenioceratidae | |||||
| Pharciceratidae | |||||
| Gephuroceratidae | |||||
| Beloceratidae | |||||
| Prolobitidae |