ammonite
During their evolution, the ammonites faced three catastrophic events that eventually led to their extinction. The first crisis occurred during the Permian period (about 250 million years ago), when nine-tenths of all ammonite species were wiped out. The survivors recovered, diversified, and went on to flourish throughout the Triassic, but at the end of this period (206 million years ago) they faced near extinction, when all but one species died out. During the subsequent Jurassic period, the number of ammonite species rose once more. The final catastrophe occurred at the end of the Cretaceous period when the ammonites, along with the dinosaurs, and many other groups of organisms became extinct. Although, among living species, the nautilus looks superficially most like an ammonite, in fact the closest extant relatives of the ammonites are the members of the subclass Coleoidea, which includes the octopus, squid, and cuttlefish. Related category• PALEONTOLOGYAlso on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History |