Arietitidae

Arietitidae
Temporal range: Sinemurian–Pliensbachian
Asteroceras stellare
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Ammonoidea
Order: Ammonitida
Superfamily: Psilocerataceae
Family: Arietitidae
Hyatt, 1874

Arietitidae is a family of true ammonites that make up part of the superfamily Psilocerataceae. They comprise medium-size to large or gigantic genera which in general are strongly ribbed, tuberculate in some, with keeled or grooved and keeled venters, and well differentiated ammonitic sutures. The aptycus is single valved with a shiny, concentrically striated surface.

Arietitidae dominated Lower Jurassic, Sinemurian ammonites, world wide, extending into the lower Pliensbachian.

The Arietitidae may have their origin in the Schlotheimiidae if not directly from the Psiloceratidae, and is the probably source for the Oxynoticeratidae.

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