AMPHIMERINA Meaning and
Definition
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Amphimerina is a term used in biology and refers to a group of extinct marine animals known as ammonoids. Ammonoids are ancient relatives of the modern-day nautilus and squid. They belonged to the phylum Mollusca and had coiled shells that were divided into chambers. These shells provided protection to the soft-bodied animal inside.
The term "Amphimerina" specifically describes a suborder or subclass of ammonoids that lived during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 100 to 65 million years ago. These creatures were characterized by their intricate shell structure, which exhibited complex whorls and intricate patterns. Amphimerina ammonoids possessed a distinct suture pattern, which refers to the complex junction between the walls of adjacent chambers in the shell.
Due to their distinctive shell morphology, Amphimerina ammonoids are of great interest to paleontologists and evolutionary biologists. Fossil specimens of these creatures are used as important index fossils, helping scientists to determine the relative ages of rock layers and understand ancient marine environments.
The study of Amphimerina and other ammonoids allows scientists to gain insights into the diversity, evolution, and paleoecology of marine life from the past. By examining the shell characteristics, growth patterns, and distribution of Amphimerina fossils, researchers can reconstruct the habitats and behaviors of these ancient cephalopods, contributing to our understanding of Earth's history and the interconnectedness of different species throughout time.
