Hemihoplites
Extinct ammonoid cephalopod from the Cretaceous period.
Hemihoplites is an extinct genus of ammonoid cephalopod in the family Hemihoplitidae. It was a fast-swimming, meat-eating animal that lived during the Cretaceous period, specifically from the Hauterivian to the Barremian ages. Its shell was evolute and compressed, with a rectangular whorl section. The ribs were well spaced and could be simple or branching, long or short, and either straight or slightly curved. These ribs crossed the flat venter transversely and typically featured distinct tubercles near the umbilicus and the ventrolateral edge. Species within this genus include *Hemihoplites feraudianus*, *H. mexicanus*, *H. ploszkiewiczi*, *H. soulieri*, and *H. varicostatus*. Fossils have been found in Cretaceous rocks of Antarctica (Alexander Island), Bulgaria, southeastern France, Mexico, Slovakia, South Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Hemihoplites
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hemihoplites is known from fossils found in Cretaceous rocks of Antarctica (Alexander Island), Bulgaria, southeastern France, Mexico, Slovakia, South Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago. The genus includes several species, such as Hemihoplites feraudianus, Hemihoplites mexicanus, Hemihoplites ploszkiewiczi, Hemihoplites soulieri, and Hemihoplites varicostatus.
Reader's Guide
Hemihoplites represents a genus of ammonoid cephalopods that thrived during the Hauterivian and Barremian ages of the Cretaceous period. Its fossils provide insight into the diversity and distribution of marine life during this time. The genus is characterized by its evolute, compressed shell with a rectangular whorl section and ribs that are simple or branching, straight or slightly flexuous, crossing the flat venter transversely. Distinctive umbilical and ventrolateral tubercles are typically present. The wide geographic distribution of Hemihoplites fossils, from Antarctica to Europe and the Americas, indicates its success as a nektonic carnivore in Cretaceous seas. The study of Hemihoplites contributes to understanding ammonoid evolution and biostratigraphy of the Cretaceous.
Did You Know?
- Hemihoplites is an extinct genus of ammonoid cephalopods in the family Hemihoplitidae.
- It lived during the Cretaceous period, from the Hauterivian age to the Barremian age.
- Fossils have been found in Antarctica, Bulgaria, France, Mexico, Slovakia, South Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago.
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