Fournierella (cephalopod)

Fournierella is an extinct genus of nautiloid cephalopods belonging to the order Nautilida. Fossils of Fournierella have been found in Triassic-aged marine sediments.

The genus is characterized by its evolute shell, meaning the whorls do not significantly overlap the previous whorls. The shell is typically smooth or only weakly ornamented. The siphuncle, a tube that runs through the chambers of the shell, is located near the ventral margin (the outer, lower edge of the whorls). The size of Fournierella shells varies depending on the species, but they generally fall within the range of medium-sized nautiloids.

Fournierella is significant for its contribution to understanding the diversity and evolution of nautiloids during the Triassic period, a time of significant recovery and diversification following the Permian-Triassic extinction event. Further research on Fournierella and related genera helps paleontologists reconstruct ancient marine ecosystems and track the evolutionary history of cephalopods. The genus is named in honor of a researcher who contributed to the knowledge of Triassic cephalopods.

Currently recognized species within the genus Fournierella may be subject to revision as new fossil discoveries and phylogenetic analyses refine our understanding of these ancient cephalopods. The classification of fossil cephalopods is an ongoing process based on morphological and, increasingly, geochemical data.