1.05" Cretaceous Fossil Heteromorph (Scaphites) Ammonite - Utah

Cretaceous Fossil Heteromorph (Scaphites) Ammonite - Utah #266724

This is a really cool heteromorph ammonite (Scaphites whitfieldi) fossil collected from the Dragon Valley Mine in Emery County, Utah. Unlike most ammonites that lived in tightly coiled, spiral shell that retains their shape throughout the cephalopod's life, heteromorph ammonites have irregularly-coiled or uncoiled shells. These hetermorph ammonites are from a Late Cretaceous-aged deposit. They are similar to the species Scaphites whitfieldi but based on a conversation with ammonite expert Neal Larson, they probably represent a new, undescribed species.

The ammonite has been painstakingly exposed from the hard mudstone surrounding it. The rock also contains a variety of shell fragments and straight cephalopods. Comes with an acrylic display stand.

About Ammonites

Ammonites were ancient marine cephalopods, similar to today's squids and octopuses, but with a defining feature: their distinctive, tightly coiled spiral shells. These shells, resembling those of modern nautiluses, served as both a protective home and a buoyancy aid, allowing ammonites to navigate the prehistoric seas with ease. First emerging around 240 million years ago in the Triassic Period, ammonites thrived for over 175 million years, adapting through numerous forms and sizes. As predatory creatures, they likely fed on smaller marine organisms, using their tentacles to capture prey. However, their long reign came to an end 65 million years ago at the close of the Cretaceous, coinciding with the mass extinction event that also eliminated the dinosaurs.

What an ammonite would have looked like while alive.