Cyrtoceras

/ˌsɜːrˈtɒsərəs/ noun

Definition

An extinct genus of cephalopods with curved, horn-like shells, common as fossils in ancient seas.

Etymology

From Greek 'kyrtos' (curved) and 'keras' (horn). Named by 19th-century paleontologists for the distinctive curved shape of their preserved shells.

Kelly Says

Finding a Cyrtoceras fossil today means you're holding the shell of a creature that swam Earth's oceans 500 million years before dinosaurs evolved.

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