Description
Authentic Cardioceras Fossil Ammonite
This listing offers a Cardioceras fossil ammonite from the Lower Oxfordian Stage of the Jurassic Period, discovered in Yaxley, Peterborough, United Kingdom. Dating back over 160 million years, this specimen represents one of the most iconic and scientifically important ammonite genera of the Jurassic seas. Every fossil we sell is carefully selected for its quality and authenticity, and this piece comes complete with a Certificate of Authenticity. The photographs show the actual fossil you will receive, ensuring full transparency and accuracy.
Geological Setting and Age
The Oxfordian Stage (approximately 163–157 million years ago) marks the beginning of the Upper Jurassic, a time when much of Britain was submerged beneath shallow, subtropical seas. The Yaxley area, part of the Peterborough region, is well known for its Jurassic fossil deposits, which include ammonites, marine reptiles, and invertebrates. Fine-grained sediments laid down in these marine environments provided ideal conditions for preserving ammonites in exquisite detail.
Cardioceras ammonites are particularly important for their role in defining ammonite biozones, making them key reference points in Jurassic stratigraphy. This specimen originates from the Lower Oxfordian, a period characterised by evolutionary diversification and abundant marine life in the epicontinental seas of Europe.
Scientific Classification
- Genus: Cardioceras
- Family: Cardioceratidae
- Superfamily: Stephanoceratoidea
- Order: Ammonitida
- Class: Cephalopoda
- Age: Lower Oxfordian, Jurassic (~163 million years ago)
- Locality: Yaxley, Peterborough, United Kingdom
Morphological Features
Cardioceras ammonites are renowned for their distinctively ribbed and evolute shells, with ribs often crossing the venter uninterrupted. The shells typically display a moderately compressed whorl section and strong ornamentation, giving them a bold and striking appearance. The genus is also characterised by its relatively large size and heart-shaped whorl cross-section, which inspired its name “Cardioceras,” meaning “heart horn.”
These adaptations reflect their lifestyle as free-swimming predators in Jurassic seas. Like other ammonites, Cardioceras used its chambered shell to control buoyancy, enabling it to hunt small marine organisms efficiently.
Palaeontological Importance
The presence of Cardioceras is highly significant in biostratigraphy, as the genus defines several ammonite zones within the Oxfordian Stage. Its rapid evolutionary turnover and wide distribution across Europe make it an essential tool for correlating rock layers between different geographic regions. Fossils such as this provide crucial evidence for reconstructing Jurassic ecosystems and understanding the evolutionary pathways of ammonites.
This specimen not only serves as a remarkable natural history piece but also as an important scientific reference, linking the Yaxley deposits to wider Jurassic marine sequences.
Depositional Environment
The sediments at Yaxley formed in a shallow marine setting with low-energy depositional conditions, dominated by fine silts and clays. These conditions were perfect for fossil preservation, ensuring that ammonites like Cardioceras were buried rapidly after death and shielded from extensive erosion or scavenging. The result is a fossil that has survived for over 160 million years with much of its original structure intact.
Collectability and Display Value
This Cardioceras fossil ammonite from Yaxley, Peterborough is a highly desirable piece for collectors, educators, and fossil enthusiasts. Its bold ribbing, distinctive form, and geological importance make it both an attractive display specimen and a scientifically meaningful addition to any collection.
- Type: Fossil Ammonite – Cardioceras
- Age: Lower Oxfordian, Jurassic (~163 million years ago)
- Origin: Yaxley, Peterborough, United Kingdom
- Scale: Rule squares/cube = 1 cm (please see photos for exact size)
- Authenticity: 100% genuine specimen with Certificate of Authenticity
- Guarantee: The exact fossil pictured is the specimen you will receive
This ammonite stands as a beautiful and authentic relic of the Jurassic seas, offering a rare opportunity to own a scientifically valuable and visually striking fossil from one of Britain’s most renowned Jurassic fossil localities.
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