Mesogaudryceras

Mesogaudryceras is an extinct genus of ammonite, a group of marine cephalopod mollusks that lived during the Cretaceous period. These ammonites are characterized by their evolute shell coiling, meaning the whorls are loosely coiled and do not significantly overlap. The shell surface typically exhibits prominent ribs and may have finer ornamentation. The suture lines, which are the lines where the internal divisions of the shell connect to the outer shell wall, are complex and characteristic of the superfamily Gaudrycerataceae.

Fossils of Mesogaudryceras are found in marine sedimentary rocks from the Late Cretaceous epoch. They are particularly known from deposits in Europe, Asia, and North America, indicating a widespread distribution. The genus is considered to be a representative of the Phylloceratina, an order of ammonites that generally possessed smooth, highly evolute shells. However, Mesogaudryceras, like other members of its family, Gaudryceratidae, shows distinct ribbing.

The ecological role of Mesogaudryceras is presumed to be similar to other ammonites of its time, likely as nektonic predators or scavengers in the Mesozoic seas. Their presence in the fossil record provides valuable information for biostratigraphy, helping to date rock layers and correlate geological formations across different regions. The genus is distinguished from closely related genera by specific details in shell morphology and suture patterns, which paleontologists use for classification.