View source for Keuppia

{{Short description|Extinct genus of octopuses}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| taxon = Keuppia
| fossil_range = {{fossilrange|97|93}} <small>Late [[Cenomanian]]</small>
| image = Keuppia_levante.jpg
| image_caption = ''K. levante''
| authority = Fuchs, Bracchi & Weis, 2009
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision  = {{species list
|K. hyperbolaris|Fuchs, Bracchi & Weis, 2009
|K. levante|Fuchs, Bracchi & Weis, 2009}}
}}
'''''Keuppia''''' is an extinct genus of [[octopus]].
==Taxonomy==
It consists of two species, ''Keuppia hyperbolaris'' and ''Keuppia levante'', both of which lived approximately 95 million years ago.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Fuchs | first1 = D. | last2 = Bracchi | first2 = G. | last3 = Weis | first3 = R. | title = New octopods (Cephalopoda: Coleoidea) from the Late Cretaceous (Upper Cenomanian) of Hâkel and Hâdjoula, Lebanon | doi = 10.1111/j.1475-4983.2008.00828.x | journal = Palaeontology | volume = 52 | pages = 65–81| year = 2009 | issue = 1 | bibcode = 2009Palgy..52...65F | doi-access = free }}</ref> Both species were found in fossilized form, which is very uncommon for extinct octopuses, as the soft tissue of dead octopuses almost always disintegrates before it has a chance to fossilize.<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna29757659 Rare fossil octopuses found], NBC News, March 18, 2009</ref> These fossils, along with those of the genus ''[[Styletoctopus]]'', were found from the [[Cretaceous]]-age [[Hâqel]] and [[Hjoula]] localities in [[Lebanon]]. The presence of a [[Gladius (cephalopod)|gladius]] vestige in this genus shows a transition from squid to octopus in which the inner shell has divided in two in early forms to eventually be reduced to lateralized stylets, as can be seen in ''Styletoctopus''.
==See also==
*[[2009 extinct fossil octopus discoveries]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q1884056}}
[[Category:Octopuses]]
[[Category:Prehistoric cephalopod genera]]
[[Category:Fossil taxa described in 2009]]
{{Octopus-stub}}