Clavilithes Macrospira Gastropod Fossil Eocene Hampshire UK Genuine Specimen with COA Collector Display

Description

CLAVILITHES CF. MACROSPIRA FOSSIL GASTROPOD

This genuine fossil gastropod is identified as Clavilithes cf. macrospira and comes from Becton Bunny at Barton-on-Sea in Hampshire, England. It was preserved within the Barton Group and dates to the Bartonian stage of the Eocene Epoch, approximately 38 to 41 million years ago. The photographs show the exact carefully selected fossil that you will receive.

EOCENE AGE AND BARTON-ON-SEA GEOLOGY

During the Eocene, southern England experienced a warm climate and the Hampshire Basin contained shallow marine and coastal environments. Clay, sand and silt accumulated as sea levels and shorelines changed. These sediments preserved a rich fauna of molluscs, sharks, fish and other organisms, providing an important record of Palaeogene life.

Barton-on-Sea is internationally renowned for its fossil-rich coastal cliffs. The Barton Group lends its name to the Bartonian stage, making specimens from this area especially significant to collectors of British geology. Becton Bunny is one of the classic local features associated with these deposits. A fossil from this locality carries precise regional and stratigraphic context as well as visual appeal.

FOSSIL TYPE AND SHELL MORPHOLOGY

Clavilithes was a marine gastropod with an elongated, spindle-shaped shell. Its shell developed through a series of spiral whorls around a central axis, ending in an extended siphonal canal. In life, this canal accommodated a soft tube used to draw water toward the animal’s sensory and respiratory structures. The robust spire and sculptured surface created a distinctive form suited to life on or within the Eocene seabed.

Gastropods are molluscs and include modern snails and their relatives. The living animal occupied the final shell opening and moved across the sediment in search of food. After death, the shell was buried. Mineral-rich groundwater gradually altered or replaced the original shell material, allowing its shape to survive for tens of millions of years.

The designation cf. macrospira indicates that this fossil compares closely with that species while retaining appropriate caution in identification. Its surviving spire, body whorl, natural matrix and surface texture preserve part of the original shell architecture. Every fossil is individual, and variations in colour, mineralisation, attached sediment, small losses and surface preservation are authentic geological features.

Please study all photographs carefully because they show the exact specimen supplied. Full dimensions are shown in the measurement photograph so its size and display proportions can be assessed accurately.

COLLECTING AND DISPLAY VALUE

This Hampshire gastropod is an attractive addition to a collection focused on fossil molluscs, Eocene marine life, British palaeontology or classic coastal localities. Its Bartonian age and Barton Group provenance make it suitable for an organised study cabinet. It can also serve as an educational example of gastropod shell growth, fossilisation and changing ancient shorelines.

The elegant spindle-shaped form makes it a strong display piece, either alone or alongside other Barton molluscs. It is equally suitable as a distinctive natural-history gift for a fossil enthusiast, geology student or shell collector.

GENUINE SPECIMEN WITH CERTIFICATE

This is an authentic fossil, not a replica or cast. The exact piece pictured is supplied and will be carefully packed to protect its natural detail. It includes a generic Certificate of Authenticity card backed by our lifetime authenticity guarantee.