Calyptraphorus Temporal range: Campanian–Pliocene PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Shell of Calyptraphorus termieri (syntype at MNHN, Paris)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Caenogastropoda
Order:	Littorinimorpha
Family:	Rostellariidae
Genus:	†Calyptraphorus Conrad, 1857
Species
See text

Calyptraphorus, also known by its alternative spelling Calyptrophoris, is an extinct genus of sorbeochonid gastropod that belongs to the family Rostellariidae. It had a global distribution occurring from the Cretaceous period to the mid-Pliocene epoch. Members of this genus were likely epifaunal grazers.^[1][2]

Evolutionary history

The earliest records of this genus date back to the Cretaceous period possibly during the Campanian age although it seems that the formation is was found in is possibly Maastrichtian age.^[3] During the Cretaceous, members of this genus can be found in Mexico and Mali. This genus would subsequently survive the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event (K-Pg) that ended the Mesozoic era. During the Paleogene, this genus can be found in a wide range of places including Mexico, United States (Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, South Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey and Maryland), Mali and Nigeria. During the Eocene epoch their range would include Mexico, Peru, the United States (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Virginia, New Jersey and Maryland) India and Saudi Arabia.^[1]

It was thought that Calyptraphorus had become extinct before the end of the Eocene epoch. However a single specimen that has not been described a species was found in the Tartaro Formation in Northern Luzon (Philippines). This means that the genus temporal range was extended by 30 million years going extinct during the mid-Pliocene epoch. This would also make Calyptraphorus a Lazarus taxon disappearing from the fossil record for a long period of time and reappearing.^[2]

Taxonomy

References