Enchoteuthis
| Enchoteuthis Temporal range:
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| File:Enchoteuthis reconstruction.png | |
| Reconstructions of the holotype and largest specimens based on Muensterella and Dosidicus | |
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| Genus: | †Enchoteuthis
Miller & Walker, 1968[1] |
| Type species | |
| †Enchoteuthis melanae Miller & Walker, 1968
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Enchoteuthis (meaning "spear squid") is an extinct genus of large enchoteuthine cephalopod that lived during the Cretaceous. Although it and its relative Tusoteuthis are often compared to squid, both are now thought to be more closely related to modern octopuses. Examination of gladius remains initially yielded an estimated mantle length of about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) based on one specimen once described as Tusoteuthis longa, which is close to or equal to that of the modern giant squid, although reclassification of this genus as a muensterelloid results in a longer total length, about 3 m (10 ft). Three species are currently recognized as valid: E. melanae, E. tonii, and E. cobbani.[5]
Etymology
[edit | edit source]The generic name Enchoteuthis is derived from the Greek enchos ("spear") and teuthis ("squid").[1] The specific name melanae honors Melanie Bonner, who discovered the holotype.[1] E. cobbani is named after William Cobban.[2]
Distribution
[edit | edit source]E. melanae and E. cobbani are both known from the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of North America, with specimens found in Kansas, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Manitoba.[2][5] E. tonii is known from the Early Cretaceous Eromanga Seaway of Australia.[3][5] An additional unnamed species is known from the Late Cretaceous Paleo-Pacific Ocean of North America, specifically British Columbia and Alaska.[5][6]
See also
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References
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