4.3" Fossil Ammonites with Petrified Drift Wood - Dorset, England

This is a gorgeous association of ammonite fossils and petrified wood that have been exposed from a concretion, collected from Dorset, England. The largest ammonite (Promicroceras planicosta) measures .95" wide and can be found near the edge of the specimen. The ammonite just next to the Promicroceras is of the genus Cymbites.

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.
What an ammonite would have looked like while alive.

What Is Petrified Wood

Petrified wood is the name given to wood that has been turned into stone (fossilized) through the process of permineralization. In this process, all of the organic matter becomes replaced by minerals, while much of the original structure, such as tree rings, is retained. For this to happen, the wood needs to be buried in an environment low in oxygen to prevent decomposition and with flowing, mineral-laden water, so minerals may replace structures. The coloration is caused by various minerals that present in that water during fossilization. For example, red colors are due to iron compounds, greens due to copper, and so on.
SOLD
DETAILS
SPECIES
Promicroceras planicosta, Cymbites sp. & Unidentified Wood
LOCATION
Charmouth, Dorset, England
FORMATION
Lower Lias - Obtusum Zone
SIZE
Entire specimen 4.3 x 4.2"
ITEM
#279154
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.