Gymnites
Gymnites is a genus of ammonoid cephalopod from the Middle Triassic belonging to the ceratitid family Gymnitidae. These nektonic carnivores lived during the Triassic period, Anisian age. Description. The shell of "Gymnites" is evolute, generally smooth, with a wide umbilicus. Whorls are moderately embracing, whorl section oval and somewhat compressed. The outer whorl may be costate or have rows of nodes, or both. The suture is ammonitic with a wide bifurcated ventral lobe and two lateral lobes on either side. Taxonomic relation. Hyatt and Smith (1905, p. 115)included "Gymnites" in the Gymnitidae along with "Ophiceras", "Flemingites", and "Xenaspis", genera  since assigned elsewhere, and included the Gymnitidae in the suborder Ceratitoidea (now the superfamily Ceratitaceae). Smith (1932, p. 30) shows "Gymenites" derived from "Xenaspis" and giving rise to the Pinacoceratidae. The American Treatise (Part L, 1957) also includes "Gymnites" in the Gymnitidae, along with mainly descendant forms such as "Buddhaites", "Japonites", and variations on "Gymnites" itself, but instead included the Gymnitidae in the Pinacocerataceae which is consistent with Smith's derivation of the Pinacoceratidae from "Gymnites". Distribution. Fossils of species within this genus have been found in the Triassic of Afghanistan, Canada, China, Hungary, Iran, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, United States