10.6" Tall, Composite Ammonite Cluster

This is a very aesthetic cluster of 110 million year old ammonite and gastropod fossils from the Mahajanga Province of Madagascar. The entire piece measures 10.6" tall, 6.2" wide and weighs about 13 lbs. Several of the ammonite fossils appear to have been composited onto the rock, but it's a beautiful display piece. The center ammonite on the piece is 3.8" across and many of the ammonites display their distinctive suture patterns that lie underneath the shell.

About Ammonites

Ammonites were predatory, marine mollusks that thrived during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras, particularly in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, before going extinct around 66 million years ago. These creatures are characterized by their coiled, spiral shells, which resemble the modern-day nautilus. Ammonite shells were divided into chambers; as they grew, they built new chambers and sealed off the old ones. These chambers were filled with gas, which helped them control buoyancy in the ocean.

The outer shell of ammonites often displays intricate ribbed or ridged patterns and their fossils sometimes show a wide range of beautiful colors due to mineralization over time. The shells fossilized well, making ammonites abundant in the fossil record.. In addition to being popular in fossil collections, ammonites are valuable in geological studies, as they serve as index fossils, helping scientists date rock layers and understand the Earth's prehistoric environments.

Artist's reconstruction of an ammonite,  by Nobu Tamura
Artist's reconstruction of an ammonite, by Nobu Tamura

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DETAILS
SPECIES
Cleoniceras, Douvilleiceras, Unidentifed Gastropod and Heteromorphic Ammonite
LOCATION
Ambatolafia, Mahajanga Province, Madagascar
SIZE
10.6" tall, 6.9" wide, about 13 lbs
ITEM
#117487
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.