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7.1" Fossil Ammonite (Planticeras) in Rock - South Dakota
This is a large Planticeras meeki ammonite that was collected from the Late Cretaceous age Pierre Shale of South Dakota. Half of it has been prepped free of the hard concretion it was found in. Portions of the shell exhibit gorgeous iridescence.
There is a repaired crack through the ammonite where the rock split during collection. One edge of the specimen is flat, allowing for aesthetic presentation without the need for a display stand.
There is a repaired crack through the ammonite where the rock split during collection. One edge of the specimen is flat, allowing for aesthetic presentation without the need for a display stand.
These 70 million year old ammonites lived when South Dakota was a shallow inland sea. They were found preserved in concretions when split open. They then had to be hand-prepared to remove the hard rock surrounding them from their shells, a very time consuming task.
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.
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.
SPECIES
Planticeras meeki
AGE
LOCATION
South Dakota
FORMATION
Pierre Shale
SIZE
7.1" Wide ammonite, entire specimen is 8 x 6.3"
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#143839
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