Two Iridescent Ammonites (Psiloceras) - England

This is a pair of brilliantly iridescent ammonites (Psiloceras planorbis) fossil from England. It has a naturally iridescent shell showing nice blues, greens and deep red colors. Like most fossils from the Blue Lias Formation, these ammonites have been compressed and flattened by the same geological processes of heating and pressure which gives them their iridescent shell.

Both ammonites are quite large for the species at 2.1" across and have a lot of flash. A beautiful piece.

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
Psiloceras planorbis
LOCATION
Noth Somerset, England
FORMATION
Blue Lias Formation
SIZE
2.1" wide (each) on 5.8x4.1" shale
ITEM
#130444
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.