Sheer beauty — a beautiful Euhoplites ammonite from Folkstone, UK. These lovelies have a pleasing chunkiness and oil-in-water coloring.
Euhoplites is an extinct ammonoid cephalopod from the Lower Cretaceous, characterized by strongly ribbed, more or less evolute, compressed to inflated shells with flat or concave ribs, typically with a deep narrow groove running down the middle.
In some, ribs seem to zigzag between umbilical tubercles and parallel ventrolateral clavi. In others, the ribs are flexuous and curve forward from the umbilical shoulder and lap onto either side of the venter.
Its shell is covered in the lovely lumps and bumps we associate with the genus. The function of these adornments was likely to give them greater strength to go deeper into the ocean to hunt for food.
They look to have been a source of hydrodynamic drag, likely preventing Euhoplites from swimming at speed. Studying them may give some insight into the lifestyle of this ancient marine predator.
Euhoplites had shells ranging in size up to a 5-6cm. We find them in Lower Cretaceous, middle to upper Albian age strata. Euhoplites has been found in Middle and Upper Albian beds in France where it is associated respectively with Hoplites, Anahoplites, Pleurohoplites, Puzosia, and Desmoceras; in the Middle Albian of Brazil with Anahoplites and Turrilites; and can be found in the Cenomanian of Texas, USA.
This species is the most common ammonite from the Folkstone Fossil Beds in southeastern England where a variety of species are found, including this 37mm beauty from the collections of José Juárez Ruiz.
