Hoplites (ammonite)

Hoplites Temporal range: Albian PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Douvilleiceras mammilatum and Hoplites dentatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Cephalopoda
Subclass:	Ammonoidea
Suborder:	Ammonitina
Superfamily:	Hoplitaceae
Family:	Hoplitidae
Subfamily:	Hoplitinae
Genus:	Hoplites Neumayr, 1875
Type species
Ammonites dentatus Sowerby, 1821
Subgenera
H. (Hoplites) Neumayr, 1875 H. (Isohoplites) Casey, 1954
Synonyms
Amedroites Cooper & Owen, 2011 Daghestanites Glazunova, 1953 Lautihoplites Baraboshkin, 1996 Odonthoplites Breistroffer, 1947

Hoplites is a genus of ammonite that lived from the Early Albian to the beginning of the Middle Albian. Its fossils have been found in Europe, Transcaspia and Mexico. Shell has compressed, rectangular till depressed and trapezoidal whorl section. There are strong umbilical bullae from which, prominent ribs are branching and these are interrupted on venter. Ends of ribs on the venter are prominent and can be both alternate or opposite. Some species have zigzaging ribs and these ribs ends usually thickened, or they can be raised into ventrolateral tubercules. These tubercules are mostly oblique clavi.

Subgenus H. (Isohoplites) has evolved in Early Albian from Otohoplites normanniae that gave rise to H. (I.) steinmanni, which is the only member of subgenus Isohoplites. From this, subgenus Hoplites has evolved and gave subsequently rise to Anahoplites (from H. (H.) dentatus) and Euhoplites (from H. (H.) canavarii).