Hoplitoidea, formerly Hoplitaceae, is a superfamily of mostly Upper Cretaceous ammonites comprising families united by a similar suture pattern with multiple similar elements that tend to decrease in size going toward the umbilicus, at the inner edge of any whorl, and which are typically in a straight line. Sutural elements are commonly ammonitic, but in some saddles and in others both saddles and lobes are smooth and undivided. Shells are variable in form, both ribbed, evolute forms and smooth, involute forms are included.
[Arkell et al 1957. Mesozoic Ammonoidea; Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part L.]
Families regarded as part now include the
Engonoceratidae
Engonoceratidae is a family of typically compressed, more or less flat sided and involute ammonites (cephalopod order Ammonitida) from the mid Cretaceous belonging to the Hoplitoidea. shells have flat sided outer rims ( venters), at least in some ...
,
Hoplitidae
The Hoplitidae is a family of Cretaceous ammonites that lived during the middle of the period from the late Aptian to the Cenomanian. They are part of the superfamily Hoplitoidea.
Members of the Hoplitidae are typically evolute, with inner whor ...
,
Placenticeratidae, and
Schloenbachiidae
Shloenbachiidae is a family of hoplitoid ammonoid cephalopds mostly from the lower Upper Cretaceous, (U Albian - Cenomanian).
Shloenbachiidae can be recognized by their usually keel bearing, irregularly ribbed and tuberculate shells that vary f ...
. Some classifications
Hoplitaceae-Paleobio
/ref> however include the Forbesiceridae in place of the Engonoceratidae
The older version of the Treatise[ includes in addition to the five families already mentioned, the ]Pulchelliidae
''Pulchelliidae'' is an extinct ammonoid cephalopod family. with and (1996), ''Mollusca 4 Revised , Cretaceous Ammonoidea'', vol. 4, in ''Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology'', Part L (Roger L. Kaesler et el. eds.), Boulder, Colorado: The ...
, Trochleiceratidae, Douvilleiceratidae
Douvilleiceratidae is a family of ammonites. These fast-moving nektonic carnivores lived in the Cretaceous from 125.45 to 94.3 Ma.
Its fossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once- ...
, Deshayesitidae, and Leymeriellidae
Leymeriellidae is a family of Lower Cretaceous ammonites comprising rather small forms distinguished from Hoplitidae by their flattened and grooved ribs and virtual absence of umbilical tubercles. The family is derived from the Desmoceratidae. '' ...
, which have since been reassigned.
References
Ammonitida superfamilies
Prehistoric animal superfamilies
Late Cretaceous first appearances
Late Cretaceous extinctions
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