{{Short description|Extinct order of Devonian organisms}} {{Automatic taxobox | fossil_range = {{fossil range|Mid Ordovician|Late Carboniferous|ref=<ref name=Vinn2009/>}} | image = CornulitidOrdovician.jpg | image_caption = Cornulitid on a brachiopod valve (Upper Ordovician, SE Indiana) | taxon = Cornulitida | authority = Boucek, 1964 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = *''Conchicolites'' *''Coralloconchus'' *''Cornulitella'' *''Cornulites'' *''Cornulitozoon '' *''Opatozoon '' *''Reticornulites'' *''Septalites'' }}
'''Cornulitida''' is an extinct order of encrusting animals from class Tentaculita, which were common around the globe in the Ordovician to Devonian oceans, and survived until the Carboniferous.<ref name='Vinn2009'>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.12.004 | title = Attempted predation on Early Paleozoic cornulitids | year = 2009 | author = Vinn, O. | journal = Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology | volume = 273 | issue = 1–2 | pages = 87–91 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222089797 | accessdate = 2014-06-11}}</ref><ref name='Vinn2013'>{{cite journal | doi = 10.4267/2042/51214 | title = Cornulitid tubeworms from the Ordovician of eastern Baltic | year = 2013 | author = Vinn, O | journal = Carnets de Géologie | volume = | pages = 131–138 | url = http://paleopolis.rediris.es/cg/CG2013_L03/index.html | accessdate = 2024-01-31 | archive-date = 2016-03-04 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062528/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222089797_Attempted_predation_on_Early_Paleozoic_cornulitids | url-status = live | doi-access =free | url-access = subscription }}</ref><ref name='VinnWilson2013b'>{{cite journal | doi = 10.4267/2042/53034 | title = Silurian cornulitids of Estonia (Baltica) | year = 2013 | author = Vinn, O |author2=Wilson, M.A. | journal = Carnets de Géologie | volume = | pages = 357–368 | url = http://paleopolis.rediris.es/cg/CG2013_A09/index.html | doi-access = free | archive-date = 2013-12-27 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131227193100/http://paleopolis.rediris.es/cg/CG2013_A09/index.html | url-status = dead }}</ref> Organisms that may be the oldest cornulitids have been found in Cambrian sediments of Jordan.<ref>{{cite journal|author=Olaf Elicki|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233721680|title=First skeletal microfauna from the Cambrian Series 3 of the Jordan Rift Valley (Middle East)|date=January 2011|journal=Memoirs of the Association of Australasian Palaeontologists|volume=42|issue=42|page=153-173}}</ref>
Cornulitids had shells, and were subject to predation by boring and other means from the Ordovician onwards. Many survived attacks by predators.<ref name=Vinn2009/> Several cornulitids were endobiotic symbionts in the stromatoporoids and tabulates.<ref name='VinnMotus2008'>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1666/07-056.1 | title = The earliest endosymbiotic mineralized tubeworms from the Silurian of Podolia, Ukraine | year = 2008 | author = Vinn, O. | author2 = Mõtus, M.-A. | journal = Journal of Paleontology | volume = 82 | issue = 2 | pages = 409–414 | s2cid = 131651974 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222089801 |accessdate = 2024-01-31 |archive-date = 2016-03-04 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062207/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222089801_The_earliest_endosymbiotic_mineralized_tubeworms_from_the_Silurian_of_Podolia_Ukraine |url-status = live}}</ref><ref name='VinnWilson2010'>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1127/0077-7749/2010/0048 | title = Endosymbiotic Cornulites in the Sheinwoodian (Early Silurian) stromatoporoids of Saaremaa, Estonia | year = 2010 | author = Vinn, O. | author2 = Wilson, M.A. | journal = Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen | volume = 257 | pages = 13–22 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222089790 | accessdate = 2024-01-31 | archive-date = 2023-11-06 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231106024049/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222089790_Endosymbiotic_Cornulites_in_the_Sheinwoodian_Early_Silurian_stromatoporoids_of_Saaremaa_Estonia | url-status = live}}</ref><ref name='VinnMotus2012'>{{cite journal | doi = 10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.01.028 | title = Diverse early endobiotic coral symbiont assemblage from the Katian (Late Ordovician) of Baltica | year = 2012 | author = Vinn, O. | author2 = Mõtus, M.-A. | journal = Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology | volume = 321–322 | pages = 137–141 | url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255569552 | accessdate = 2024-01-31 | archive-date = 2023-12-17 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20231217045501/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255569552_Diverse_early_endobiotic_coral_symbiont_assemblage_from_the_Katian_Late_Ordovician_of_Baltica | url-status = live}}</ref>
Their affinity is unknown; they have been placed in many phyla, and have been considered worms, corals, molluscs and more.<ref name=Vinn2009/> They appear to be closely related to other taxa of uncertain affinity, including the microconchids, trypanoporids and tentaculitids.<ref name=Vinn2009/>
==Gallery== <gallery class="center"> Cornulitids and bryozoan Bellevue.jpg|alt=Cornulitids and bryozoan Bellevue|Cornulitids on a bryozoan; Bellevue Member, Grant Lake Formation, northern Kentucky Conchicolites.jpg|''Conchicolites'' sp. overview of the rings with spines, Lilla Karlsö, Sweden Septalites septatus.jpg|''Septalites septatus'' from the Silurian of Gotland Cornulites cellulosus.jpg|''Cornulites cellulosus'' from Wenlock of Saaremaa, Estonia </gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5171922}}
Category:Tentaculita Category:Middle Ordovician first appearances Category:Pennsylvanian extinctions Category:Prehistoric animal orders