Description
Genuine Upper Jurassic Ammonite Fossil Association
This genuine fossil specimen features Aspidoceras raffaeli and Streblites tenuilobatus ammonites from the Upper Jurassic, Lower Kimmeridgian deposits of Gräfenberg, Bavaria, Germany. It is a carefully selected marine fossil piece representing two distinct ammonite forms preserved from the ancient seas that once covered parts of southern Germany. Ammonites were extinct cephalopods related to modern squid, octopus and nautilus, and they are among the most important fossil groups for dating and understanding Jurassic marine rocks.
This fossil is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. Full sizing can be seen in the photo. The fossil shown is the actual carefully chosen specimen you will receive, making it ideal for collectors who appreciate accurately represented fossils with clear geological age and locality information.
Lower Kimmeridgian Jurassic Geology
The Kimmeridgian is a stage of the Late Jurassic, dating to approximately 157.3 to 152.1 million years ago. This specimen comes from the Lower Kimmeridgian, a time when Bavaria formed part of a warm, shallow to moderately deep marine environment connected to the ancient Tethys Ocean and wider European seas. These waters supported a rich fossil fauna including ammonites, belemnites, bivalves, brachiopods, echinoids, sponges, corals, crustaceans and fish.
Gräfenberg in Bavaria lies within a region known for Jurassic marine limestone and marl deposits. The fossil-bearing rocks of southern Germany are famous for preserving beautifully detailed marine invertebrates, especially ammonites. Sediments laid down on the sea floor gradually buried shells and skeletal remains, which became mineralised over millions of years and preserved as fossils within the limestone-rich strata.
Aspidoceras raffaeli Fossil Detail
Aspidoceras is a distinctive Late Jurassic ammonite genus known for its robust shell form and strong ornamentation. Members of this group often display a broad, rounded whorl profile with prominent tubercles or nodes along the shell. These raised features are among the key characteristics that make Aspidoceras highly recognisable and visually appealing to collectors.
Aspidoceras belongs to the order Ammonitida and is associated with the family Aspidoceratidae, a group of heavily ornamented Jurassic ammonites. The strong shell sculpture may have helped reinforce the shell and possibly offered protection against predators in the Jurassic sea. In fossil specimens, the tuberculate ornament and rounded shell profile give Aspidoceras a bold and sculptural appearance.
Streblites tenuilobatus Fossil Detail
Streblites tenuilobatus represents a contrasting ammonite form, generally more compressed and finely shaped than the heavier Aspidoceras. Streblites ammonites are associated with the family Oppeliidae, a group often recognised by smoother, more streamlined shells and intricate sutural patterns. This difference in form makes a specimen containing both Aspidoceras and Streblites especially interesting, as it shows variation within the ammonite fauna of the same Late Jurassic marine setting.
The species name tenuilobatus refers to fine-lobed features associated with the shell’s sutures, an important part of ammonite classification. Sutures mark where the internal chamber walls met the outer shell, and their complex patterns are one of the most important scientific features used to identify and compare ammonites.
Ancient Jurassic Marine Environment
These ammonites lived in a warm Jurassic sea rich in marine life. Like other ammonites, Aspidoceras raffaeli and Streblites tenuilobatus had chambered shells that helped control buoyancy while the living animal occupied the outer body chamber. They would have moved through the water column as active marine cephalopods, likely feeding on small animals or scavenging within the ecosystem.
The Lower Kimmeridgian seas of Bavaria contained a wide range of habitats, from quieter deeper-water settings to carbonate-rich sea-floor environments. Ammonite shells could settle after death, become buried in soft sediment and eventually fossilise within limestone or marl. The preservation of more than one ammonite type in a single specimen gives this piece added palaeontological interest.
Collectable Bavarian Jurassic Ammonite Specimen
This Aspidoceras raffaeli and Streblites tenuilobatus ammonite fossil is an excellent addition to any collection of Jurassic fossils, German fossils, Bavarian ammonites, Kimmeridgian fossils or marine invertebrate specimens. The combination of two named ammonite types, Upper Jurassic age and Gräfenberg locality makes it a desirable display piece for fossil collectors, natural history enthusiasts and educational collections.
Supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, this genuine Lower Kimmeridgian ammonite fossil association from Gräfenberg, Bavaria, Germany, offers a fascinating look at the diversity of ammonites in the ancient Jurassic seas of Europe.
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