''Gassendiceras'' is an extinct genus of ammonoid cephalopods belonging to the family
Hemihoplitidae
Hemihoplitidae is an extinct family of ammonoid cephalopods belonging to the superfamily Ancyloceratoidea. Fossils of species within this genus have been found in the Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 1 ...
. They lived in the
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
period,
Barremian
The Barremian is an age in the geologic timescale (or a chronostratigraphic stage) between 129.4 ± 1.5 Ma (million years ago) and 121.4 ± 1.0 Ma). It is a subdivision of the Early Cretaceous Epoch (or Lower Cretaceous Series). It is preceded ...
age.
[
]
Etymology
The genus name ''Gassendiceras'' honors the French philosopher and scientist Pierre Gassendi
Pierre Gassendi (; also Pierre Gassend, Petrus Gassendi; 22 January 1592 – 24 October 1655) was a French philosopher, Catholic priest, astronomer, and mathematician. While he held a church position in south-east France, he also spent much tim ...
(1592 – 1655).
Species
[
* ''Gassendiceras quelquejeui'' Bert, Delanoy & Bersac, 2006
* ''Gassendiceras alpinum'' (d'Orbigny, 1850) (Synonym ''Crioceras alpinum'')
* ''Gassendiceras enayi'' Bert, Delanoy & Bersac, 2006
* ''Gassendiceras coulletae'' Bert, Delanoy & Bersac, 2006
* ''Gassendiceras hammatoptychum'' (Uhlig, 1883)
]
Description
Shells of ''Gassendiceras'' species can reach a diameter of about .[
]
Distribution
Fossils of species within this genus have been found in the Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
rocks of southeastern France.[
]
References
* D. Bert, G. Delanoy & S. Bersac, « Descriptions de représentants nouveaux ou peu connus de la famille des Hemihoplitidae Spath, 1924 (Barrémien supérieur, Sud-Est de la France) : conséquences taxinomiques et phylétiques », Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. Nice, vol. 21 (2006), p. 179-253
* Bert, Delanoy & Bersac
Problems in the identity of "Crioceras" barremense Kilian, 1895 (Ancyloceratida, Late Barremian), and their proposed resolution
Cretaceous ammonites
Ammonitida genera
Ancyloceratoidea
{{Ammonitida-stub