Description
Calliphylloceras aff. thevenini Ammonite Fossil from Italy
This is a genuine Calliphylloceras aff. thevenini ammonite fossil from the Lower Jurassic, Lower Toarcian, collected from east of Perugia, Marche, Italy. This carefully chosen fossil is a desirable Jurassic marine cephalopod specimen, selected for its natural character, scientific interest, and display quality. It is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, making it a trusted addition to any fossil collection, natural history cabinet, geology display, or educational collection.
The photograph shows the actual fossil specimen you will receive. Full sizing and scale can be seen in the photo.
Geological Age and Location
This ammonite dates to the Lower Toarcian stage of the Lower Jurassic, approximately 183 million years old. The Toarcian is a significant interval in Jurassic geology, known for important changes in marine environments and for the widespread preservation of ammonite faunas across Europe. Ammonites from this period are especially valued by collectors and palaeontology enthusiasts because they are key fossils for understanding Jurassic marine life and biostratigraphy.
The specimen comes from east of Perugia, in the Marche region of Italy, an area associated with classic Apennine marine sedimentary rocks. During the Early Jurassic, this part of Italy lay within the western Tethys Ocean, a warm ancient sea that covered much of southern Europe and the Mediterranean region. The rocks of this region preserve evidence of offshore marine settings, where ammonites, bivalves, belemnites, brachiopods, crinoids, and other marine organisms lived and became fossilised in fine sediment.
Fossil Type and Identification
This fossil is identified as Calliphylloceras aff. thevenini. The abbreviation “aff.” means the fossil shows close affinity to Calliphylloceras thevenini, while allowing for natural variation or preservation differences. This is a useful and honest scientific identification for fossils that strongly resemble a known species but are not assigned with absolute certainty.
Calliphylloceras is an ammonite genus belonging to the phylloceratid ammonites, a long-ranging group of marine cephalopods known for their smooth to finely ornamented shells and highly complex suture patterns. Phylloceratid ammonites are often associated with open marine environments and are widely represented in Jurassic deposits of the Tethyan region.
Ammonites were extinct marine molluscs related to modern squid, cuttlefish, octopus, and nautilus. They had coiled, chambered shells, with the living animal occupying the outer body chamber. Earlier chambers within the shell helped regulate buoyancy, allowing the animal to move through the water column.
Morphology and Notable Features
Calliphylloceras ammonites are typically recognised by their elegant, compressed, planispiral shell form. Many examples show a relatively smooth outer shell compared with more heavily ribbed ammonites, giving them a refined and balanced appearance. The whorls are often rounded to oval in section, with a neat coiled profile and a small central umbilicus.
One of the most scientifically interesting features of phylloceratid ammonites is their intricate suture pattern. These sutures mark the junction between the internal chamber walls and the outer shell. In phylloceratids, the sutures can be highly folded and leaf-like, which is one of the traits that gives the group its name. Depending on preservation, these fine details may be visible on parts of the fossil surface or represented in the natural form of the specimen.
As a genuine fossil, this piece may show natural matrix, mineralisation, surface texture, fossil colour, shell detail, wear, or small areas of loss caused by fossilisation and geological history. These natural features add character and confirm that each specimen is unique.
Jurassic Marine Environment
This Calliphylloceras ammonite lived in the warm marine waters of the western Tethys Ocean during the Lower Jurassic. These seas supported a rich ecosystem of swimming cephalopods, shelled invertebrates, fish, and early marine reptiles. Ammonites were active or drifting marine animals, likely feeding on small prey within the water column.
The Lower Toarcian seas were part of a dynamic ancient environment, with changing sea levels, oxygen conditions, and sedimentation patterns affecting the preservation of marine fossils. Ammonites from this interval are widely studied because they help palaeontologists date rock layers and compare Jurassic deposits across different regions of Europe.
Authenticity and Collectability
This Calliphylloceras aff. thevenini ammonite fossil is a genuine specimen from east of Perugia, Marche, Italy, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. It is suitable for collectors of ammonites, Jurassic fossils, Italian fossils, Tethyan marine fossils, natural history specimens, and educational geology displays.
The fossil shown in the photo is the actual specimen you will receive.
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