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8.3" Purple Iridescent Ammonite (Proaustraliceras) Fossil - Russia
This is a large, 8.3" wide Proaustraliceras simbirskense ammonite fossil from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian Stage), Deshayesi zone deposits of the Volga River in Russia. The preserved shell features a gorgeous purple iridescence that flashes in the light. The ammonite is partially pyritized, with pyrite still visible in spots around the specimen. It has been exposed from the hard limestone matrix it was found in. This is a gorgeous display piece and it comes with a stand to facilitate aesthetic presentation.
There has been some restoration and repair to the ammonite. Several cracks have been repaired and filled and it's likely some of the pyrite has been added.
There has been some restoration and repair to the ammonite. Several cracks have been repaired and filled and it's likely some of the pyrite has been added.
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
Proaustraliceras simbirskense
LOCATION
Volga river, Ulyanovsk region, Russia
FORMATION
Deshayesi Zone
SIZE
Ammonite: 8.3" wide
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#228163
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