3.2" "Glowing" Fossil Ammonite (Asteroceras) - Dorset, England

Glowing Fossil Ammonite (Asteroceras) - Dorset, England #279472

This is a beautifully preserved 3.2" ammonite (Asteroceras obtusum) fossil from the Lyme Regis region of England. There are three complete ammonites clustered together within the rock, the largest of which measures 3.2" wide. These ammonites were naturally replaced with calcite which fluoresces white-yellow under short-wave UV light. The two largest ammonites have been exposed along both sides of the rock, allowing for multiple presentation options. This type of ammonite preparation is ideal for backlighting as the ammonites are translucent. Two of the photos above show the ammonites backlit. A very cool association and an excellent display piece.

A display stand will accompany the specimen to assist with presentation.

Ammonites were predatory cephalopod mollusks that resembled squids with spiral shells. They are more closely related to living octopuses, though their shells resemble that of nautilus species. True ammonites appeared in the fossil record about 240 million years ago during the Triassic Period. The last lineages disappeared 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous.

What an ammonite would have looked like while alive.

More about ammonites