3.8" Cut & Polished, Pyritized Ammonite Fossil (Half) - Russia

This is a pyritized ammonite (Quenstedticeras sp.) fossil half that was collected from a Middle Jurassic deposit along the banks of the Volga River near Saratov, Russia. It has been cut in half and polished across the flat face, revealing the pyrite encrusted chambers. You can feel the heft of the iron pyrite in the specimen when you hold it in your hand.

It comes with an acrylic display stand. Larger ammonites from this location will commonly be disarticulated or poorly preserved at their centers. For this reason, there is a composite ammonite at the center. There are some additional spots of gap fill restoration through the chambers and along one edge.

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
Quenstedticeras sp.
LOCATION
Volga River, Saratov, Russia
SIZE
Ammonite half: 3.8" wide
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#198361
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.