SCAPHITE Meaning and
Definition
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Scaphite is a term used in paleontology to refer to a subgroup of extinct cephalopods that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, specifically in the Mesozoic era. These marine creatures belonged to the subclass Ammonoidea and were characterized by their distinctive shell, which took the form of a spiral and had a streamlined shape resembling a boat or canoe, hence the name "scaphite" derived from the Greek word "skaphē," meaning boat.
Scaphites possessed a coiled, planispiral shell that was usually long and slender, with the outer edges forming the sides of the shell expanding into a keel-like structure. This keel allowed them to navigate through the water more efficiently, likely helping them to swim or float at different depths. They typically had close-set septa, or walls within the shell, which formed chambers that the organism would use to control buoyancy and regulate its position in the water column.
Scaphites were carnivorous predators that likely fed on small marine organisms such as fish and crustaceans. They are considered important index fossils, aiding scientists in dating and correlating sedimentary rock layers from the Late Cretaceous period.
Today, scaphites are extinct, and their fossils are highly valuable for paleontologists in understanding the ancient marine ecosystems and providing key insights into the evolutionary history of ammonoids and their ecological interactions.
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In geol., a genus of the ammonite family, peculiar to the Chalk formation, and so named from the boat-like contour of its shell.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for SCAPHITE
- acaphite
- zcaphite
- xcaphite
- dcaphite
- ecaphite
- wcaphite
- sxaphite
- svaphite
- sfaphite
- sdaphite
- sczphite
- scsphite
- scwphite
- scqphite
- scaohite
- scalhite
- sca-hite
- sca0hite
- scapgite
- scapbite
Etymology of SCAPHITE
The word "Scaphite" has its roots in the Greek language. It is derived from the Greek word "skaphē" (σκάφη), meaning "boat" or "skiff". The term "Scaphite" is predominantly used in the field of paleontology to refer to a type of extinct ammonite cephalopods that have a distinctive boat-shaped shell. The name "Scaphite" was likely chosen due to the resemblance of the shell to a small boat or skiff.
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