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Cardioceras costicardia Fossil Ammonite Oxfordian Jurassic Ammonite from Ardeche France

Cardioceras costicardia Fossil Ammonite Oxfordian Jurassic Ammonite from Ardeche France

£9.00

Authentic Cardioceras costicardia Ammonite Fossil

This listing presents a genuine Cardioceras costicardia ammonite fossil, an exceptional specimen collected from the Oxfordian Stage of the Jurassic Period in Ardèche, France. Formed around 163–157 million years ago, this ammonite represents both a fascinating piece of natural history and a superb collector’s specimen. The fossil you see in the photographs is the exact one you will receive, and it comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, confirming it as a 100% genuine piece.

Geological Context

The Oxfordian Stage, part of the Upper Jurassic, was a time when much of Europe was covered by shallow seas teeming with life. The region of Ardèche, in southern France, is particularly well known for its richly fossiliferous limestone and marl deposits, which preserve a wide variety of marine organisms. These sediments were laid down in warm, shallow waters where conditions allowed excellent fossilisation of ammonites, bivalves, and other marine fauna.

Ammonites from this horizon are of special interest to palaeontologists because they serve as important index fossils, helping to define and correlate Jurassic stratigraphy across Europe. The Cardioceras genus, in particular, provides valuable biostratigraphic markers for the Oxfordian stage.

Scientific Classification

  • Species: Cardioceras costicardia
  • Genus: Cardioceras
  • Family: Cardioceratidae
  • Superfamily: Stephanoceratoidea
  • Order: Ammonitida
  • Class: Cephalopoda
  • Age: Oxfordian, Jurassic (~163–157 million years ago)
  • Locality: Ardèche, France

Morphological Features

Cardioceras costicardia is a distinctive species, known for its robust, strongly ribbed shell with bold, radiating costae (ribs) that extend across the flanks and curve towards the venter. These ribs are evenly spaced and provide the shell with a striking, sculptural appearance. The shell is typically evolute, meaning the whorls are only slightly overlapping, allowing much of the earlier whorls to remain visible.

The species name costicardia refers to its ribbed (“costi-“) and heart-shaped (“cardia”) characteristics, reflecting both its morphology and its placement within the Cardioceras group. This ammonite is part of a key evolutionary lineage within the Oxfordian seas and is a particularly sought-after species due to its distinctive features.

Stratigraphic and Palaeontological Importance

As a representative of the Cardioceras genus, Cardioceras costicardia plays a central role in defining ammonite biozones of the Oxfordian. Such ammonites are essential tools for geologists, allowing for fine stratigraphic correlations and insights into the pace of evolutionary change within Jurassic marine faunas. Fossils from Ardèche are especially valued because the region’s deposits yield well-preserved examples that display the diagnostic traits of the species with clarity.

Depositional Environment

During the Oxfordian, the Ardèche area was part of a shallow epicontinental sea, where carbonate sedimentation dominated. The fine limestone and marl deposits record conditions of relatively calm waters with occasional storm events, where ammonites and other marine creatures thrived. After death, the shells of ammonites sank to the seabed and were rapidly buried, protecting them from dissolution and scavenging. Over millions of years, mineralisation transformed these shells into the fossils we see today.

Collector and Display Value

This Cardioceras costicardia ammonite fossil from Ardèche, France is not only scientifically valuable but also visually striking, with its strong ribbing and elegant shell form. Its combination of authenticity, rarity, and aesthetic appeal makes it an excellent specimen for fossil enthusiasts, educational collections, or as a natural history display.

  • Type: Fossil Ammonite – Cardioceras costicardia
  • Age: Oxfordian, Jurassic (~163–157 million years ago)
  • Location: Ardèche, France
  • Scale: Rule squares/cube = 1 cm (see photographs for accurate sizing)
  • Authenticity: 100% genuine specimen with Certificate of Authenticity
  • Specimen: The exact fossil shown in the photographs is the one you will receive

Owning this ammonite connects you directly to the ancient seas of the Jurassic, offering a tangible link to life that thrived more than 160 million years ago. It is a fossil of both scientific significance and natural beauty, making it a prized addition to any collection.

(Actual as seen)

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Description

Authentic Cardioceras costicardia Ammonite Fossil

This listing presents a genuine Cardioceras costicardia ammonite fossil, an exceptional specimen collected from the Oxfordian Stage of the Jurassic Period in Ardèche, France. Formed around 163–157 million years ago, this ammonite represents both a fascinating piece of natural history and a superb collector’s specimen. The fossil you see in the photographs is the exact one you will receive, and it comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, confirming it as a 100% genuine piece.

Geological Context

The Oxfordian Stage, part of the Upper Jurassic, was a time when much of Europe was covered by shallow seas teeming with life. The region of Ardèche, in southern France, is particularly well known for its richly fossiliferous limestone and marl deposits, which preserve a wide variety of marine organisms. These sediments were laid down in warm, shallow waters where conditions allowed excellent fossilisation of ammonites, bivalves, and other marine fauna.

Ammonites from this horizon are of special interest to palaeontologists because they serve as important index fossils, helping to define and correlate Jurassic stratigraphy across Europe. The Cardioceras genus, in particular, provides valuable biostratigraphic markers for the Oxfordian stage.

Scientific Classification

  • Species: Cardioceras costicardia
  • Genus: Cardioceras
  • Family: Cardioceratidae
  • Superfamily: Stephanoceratoidea
  • Order: Ammonitida
  • Class: Cephalopoda
  • Age: Oxfordian, Jurassic (~163–157 million years ago)
  • Locality: Ardèche, France

Morphological Features

Cardioceras costicardia is a distinctive species, known for its robust, strongly ribbed shell with bold, radiating costae (ribs) that extend across the flanks and curve towards the venter. These ribs are evenly spaced and provide the shell with a striking, sculptural appearance. The shell is typically evolute, meaning the whorls are only slightly overlapping, allowing much of the earlier whorls to remain visible.

The species name costicardia refers to its ribbed (“costi-“) and heart-shaped (“cardia”) characteristics, reflecting both its morphology and its placement within the Cardioceras group. This ammonite is part of a key evolutionary lineage within the Oxfordian seas and is a particularly sought-after species due to its distinctive features.

Stratigraphic and Palaeontological Importance

As a representative of the Cardioceras genus, Cardioceras costicardia plays a central role in defining ammonite biozones of the Oxfordian. Such ammonites are essential tools for geologists, allowing for fine stratigraphic correlations and insights into the pace of evolutionary change within Jurassic marine faunas. Fossils from Ardèche are especially valued because the region’s deposits yield well-preserved examples that display the diagnostic traits of the species with clarity.

Depositional Environment

During the Oxfordian, the Ardèche area was part of a shallow epicontinental sea, where carbonate sedimentation dominated. The fine limestone and marl deposits record conditions of relatively calm waters with occasional storm events, where ammonites and other marine creatures thrived. After death, the shells of ammonites sank to the seabed and were rapidly buried, protecting them from dissolution and scavenging. Over millions of years, mineralisation transformed these shells into the fossils we see today.

Collector and Display Value

This Cardioceras costicardia ammonite fossil from Ardèche, France is not only scientifically valuable but also visually striking, with its strong ribbing and elegant shell form. Its combination of authenticity, rarity, and aesthetic appeal makes it an excellent specimen for fossil enthusiasts, educational collections, or as a natural history display.

  • Type: Fossil Ammonite – Cardioceras costicardia
  • Age: Oxfordian, Jurassic (~163–157 million years ago)
  • Location: Ardèche, France
  • Scale: Rule squares/cube = 1 cm (see photographs for accurate sizing)
  • Authenticity: 100% genuine specimen with Certificate of Authenticity
  • Specimen: The exact fossil shown in the photographs is the one you will receive

Owning this ammonite connects you directly to the ancient seas of the Jurassic, offering a tangible link to life that thrived more than 160 million years ago. It is a fossil of both scientific significance and natural beauty, making it a prized addition to any collection.

Additional information

Era

Jurassic
Origin

France

Jurassic Information

The Jurassic Period (201–145 million years ago) was the golden age of dinosaurs, with iconic species like Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus, and Allosaurus dominating the land. It was a time of warm, humid climates, with high sea levels that created vast shallow seas, supporting abundant marine reptiles, ammonites, and early coral reefs. The first birds, such as Archaeopteryx, evolved from small theropod dinosaurs, while early mammals remained small and nocturnal. Lush forests of cycads, conifers, and ferns covered the land, providing food for giant herbivores. The breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea accelerated, shaping Earth's geography and setting the stage for the diverse ecosystems of the Cretaceous.

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