Keuppia
Keuppia
Extinct genus of octopuses
Keuppia is an extinct genus of octopus.
Keuppia | |
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K. levante | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Cephalopoda |
Order: | Octopoda |
Family: | †Palaeoctopodidae |
Genus: | †Keuppia Fuchs, Bracchi & Weis, 2009 |
Species | |
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It consists of two species, Keuppia hyperbolaris and Keuppia levante, both of which lived approximately 95 million years ago.[1] Both species were found in fossilized form, which is very uncommon for extinct octopuses, as the soft tissue of dead octopuses almost always disintegrates before it has a chance to fossilize.[2] These fossils, along with those of the genus Styletoctopus, were found from the Cretaceous-age Hâqel and Hjoula localities in Lebanon. The presence of a gladius vestige in this genus shows a transition from squid to octopus in which the inner shell has divided in two in early forms to eventually be reduced to lateralized stylets, as can be seen in Styletoctopus.
- Fuchs, D.; Bracchi, G.; Weis, R. (2009). "New octopods (Cephalopoda: Coleoidea) from the Late Cretaceous (Upper Cenomanian) of Hâkel and Hâdjoula, Lebanon". Palaeontology. 52 (1): 65–81. Bibcode:2009Palgy..52...65F. doi:10.1111/j.1475-4983.2008.00828.x.
- Rare fossil octopuses found, NBC News, March 18, 2009