Yochelcionella

Taxobox
name = "Yochelcionella"
fossil_range = Early Cambrian


image_caption = "Yochelcionella cyrano"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Helcionelloida
ordo = Helcionellida
superfamilia = Helcionelloidea
familia = Helcionellidae
genus = "Yochelcionella"
genus_authority =
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = See text.

"Yochelcionella" is an extinct genus of basal molluscs which lived during the Tommotian epoch, the first epoch of the Cambrian period. This genus is often reconstructed to resemble snails, (gastropods).

This genus of molluscs possessed shells which were shaped like curved caps, with an exhaust pipe shaped "snorkel" emanating underneath where the apex (point of the shell) curves over. All experts agree that the "snorkel" was used in breathing, with most experts suspecting that it allowed waste water to flow away from the gills.

When they were first discovered, they were originally thought to be monoplacophorans.

pecies

* "Yochelcionella angustiplicata"
* "Yochelcionella chinensis"
* "Yochelcionella crassa"
* "Yochelcionella cyrano"
* "Yochelcionella daleki"
* "Yochelcionella gracilis"
* "Yochelcionella greenlandica"
* "Yochelcionella ostentata"

External links

* [http://www.palaeos.com/Invertebrates/Molluscs/BasalMollusca/Conchifera/Yochelcionellidae.html|Yochelcionellidae Palaeos]
* [http://www.palaeos.com/Invertebrates/Molluscs/BasalMollusca/Conchifera/Helcionelloida.Cladogram.html|Hellicionelloida Palaeos Cladogram]