Characterization of two superorders Nautilosiphonata and Calciosiphonata and a new order Cyrtocerinida of the subclass Nautiloidea; siphuncular structure in the Ordovician nautiloid Bathmoceras (Cephalopoda)

Based on differences in the siphuncular structures, the subclass Nautiloidea is divided into two new superorders: Nautilosiphonata and Calciosiphonata. The first superorder is characterized by the nautilus-type of connecting rings, and the second superorder by calcified-perforate type of the connecting rings. A new order Cyrtocerinida is erected for the families Bathmoceratidae, Cyrtocerinidae and Eothinoceratidae, previously included in the order Ellesmeroceratida. The siphuncular structure in the Ordovician nautiloid Bathmocerasholmi n. sp. is described. It is characterized by (1) connecting rings that are composed of an outer, calcareous, spherulitic–prismatic layer and an inner, fibrous, chitinous layer, and (2) prominent siphuncular ridges that originate from the inner surfaces of the connecting rings. The structure of the siphuncular ridges in Bathmoceras is compared with that of the actinosiphonate lamellae in the Silurian oncocerid nautiloid Octamerella.