3.4" Jurassic Ammonite (Stephanoceras) Fossil - England
This is a 3.4" Stephanoceras humphresianum ammonite fossil from Dorset, England. It is Middle Jurassic in age, or approximately 168 million years old. The rock along one side of the specimen has been cut flat so that it stands up without the need for a 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.
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.
$125
SPECIES
Stephanoceras humphresianum
LOCATION
Sherborne, Dorset, England
FORMATION
Inferior Oolite
SIZE
Ammonite: 3.4" wide, Entire Specimen: 3.3 x 3.15"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#279160
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