Goniatitid

/ɡoʊniəˈtɪtɪd/ noun

Definition

A member of the family Goniatitidae, an extinct group of coiled cephalopods with angular suture patterns on their shells.

Etymology

From goniatite plus the suffix -id, meaning 'a member of.' Goniatitids are classified within their own family based on their distinctive evolutionary characteristics.

Kelly Says

Goniatitids evolved thousands of different species with different shell shapes—some were tiny, some were as big as dinner plates, showing incredible adaptive diversity before they all vanished!

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