Devil's Toenail Fossil Oyster (Gryphaea) - Large Size

These are fossil oysters (Gryphaea arcuata) commonly known as the "Devil's Toenail" They comes from the Lower Jurassic deposits near Gloucestershire, Great Britain. They average about 2 1/2" wide. The photos are representative of the item you will receive but don't picture the exact specimens. Quantity discounts are available.

Gryphaea is a genus of extinct oysters that lived in shallow water in large colonies. The complete fossils consist of two articulated valves: a larger gnarly-shaped shell (the "toenail") and a smaller, flattened shell, the "lid". The soft parts of the animal occupied the cavity between the two shells, just like modern oysters. There used to be a common folk belief that carrying one of these fossils could prevent rheumatism