5.7" Pyritized Ammonite (Harpoceras) Fossil - Germany

This is a large, 5.6" wide Harpoceras ammonite fossil from the from the Posidonia Shale of Germany. They have been compressed and are preserved on a black slate in a partially pyritized state. There are impressions of several other partial ammonites on the rock. It comes with a display stand, but there is also a hanger installed into the rock on the back of the plate allowing it to easily be hung on a wall.

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
Harpoceras
LOCATION
Holzmaden, Germany
FORMATION
Posidonia Shale
SIZE
5.7" wide on 11.5x11" rock
ITEM
#51151
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.