Collection: Orthoceras

Orthoceras is an extinct genus of nautiloid cephalopods that lived during the Paleozoic era (500 to 200 million years ago). They had long, straight, conical shells ranging in size from a few centimeters to over a meter in length. They were carnivorous, feeding on tiny marine organisms like trilobites, fish, and cephalopods. They used their tentacles to capture prey and a beak-like mouth to consume it.

They would draw water into their mantle cavity and forcefully expel it through a siphon. This expelled water created a propulsion jet, allowing swift movement through the water. To change direction, they adjusted the angle of their siphon, allowing for agile maneuvering.

Their fossils are often found worldwide in sedimentary rock layers, mainly limestone.