Iridescent Hoploscaphites Ammonite Specimen - South Dakota

This is an displayable specimen from the Fox Hills Formation of South Dakota. There are several ammonites that have been prepared from the hard concretion. The 2.35" wide ammonite at the top, has excellent preservation and natural opalescence that shines with pink and green hues. The base of the rock has been trimmed flat so that it stands up nicely on a flat surface without the need for a display stand.

These 70 million year old ammonites lived when South Dakota was a shallow inland sea. It was found preserved in a concretion that was split open. It then had to be hand prepared to remove the hard rock surrounding it from the shell, a very time consuming task.