Hoploscaphites sp. - macroconch form

Hoploscaphites
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Specimen #813
Taxon: Hoploscaphites sp.
Locality: Baculite Mesa, Pueblo County, CO
Age: Cretaceous Period, Upper Campanian Stage
Rock unit: Baculites scotti zone of Pierre Shale
Collector: W. Itano

According to Dr. William Cobban of the U.S.G.S., this belongs to an undescribed species of Hoploscaphites. Scaphitid ammonites are dimorphic at maturity. The two forms are called macroconchs and microconchs, which probably correspond to females and males respectively. This one is a macroconch, as distinguished by the nearly straight umbilical shoulder. The length is 5 cm. Here is an example of a microconch.


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