Barremites is an ammonoid cephalopod belonging to the family Desmoceratidae

Desmoceratidae

Desmoceratidae is a family belonging to the ammonite subclass. They are an extinct group of ammonoids, shelled cephalopods related to squid, belemnites, octopuses, and cuttlefish, and more distantly to the nautiloids.-References:* accessed on 10/01/07...

, that lived during the Hauterivian and Barremian stages of the Early Cretaceous

Cretaceous

The Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...

. Its shell is moderately to very involute, with the outer whorl strongly embracing the inner whorls, and variably compressed. Sides are generally smooth and marked with sinuous or falcate collars marking intervals of growth and bearing feeble striae to moderately distinguished ribs.

Two subgenera have been defined; Barremites (Raspailiceras) which is moderately involute with a well rounded whorl section and sloping umbilical walls, from the Hauterivian and Barremian, and Barremites (Barremites) which is very involute, compressed, high whorled, with a steep umbilical wall bordered by a sharp edge, from the Barremian.

Barremites has a wide distribution and has been found throughout Europe, in the Republic of Georgia, Morocco, Mexico, Columbia, and Japan.

References

• Arkell, et al, 1957. Mesozoic Ammonoidea; Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part L (Ammonoidea). Geol. Soc. of America and Univ. Kansas Press. p.L362.
• Barremites-Paleobio