3.6" Toarcian Spiny Ammonite (Porpoceras) Fossil - France

This is a gorgeous, spiny ammonite fossil of the species Porpoceras verticosum that was collected near Belmont, France. It is Toarcian (Jurassic period) in age, or approximately 180 million years old. It has been almost entirely exposed from the rock, and the edge of the remaining rock has been cut so as to serve as a base.

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.
What an ammonite would have looked like while alive.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Porpoceras verticosum
LOCATION
Belmont, France
SIZE
3.6" wide ammonite, entire ammonite 4.8 x 3.3"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#211930
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.