Crucilobiceras Golden Pyrite Ammonite Fossil Jurassic Dorset UK Black Ven Marls Lower Lias Stonebarrow Cliff Charmouth Lyme Regis

Description

Genuine Golden Pyrite Crucilobiceras Ammonite from the Jurassic Coast

Offered here is a superb Crucilobiceras golden pyrite ammonite fossil, collected from the famous Black Ven Marls at Stonebarrow Cliff, Charmouth, along the world-renowned Jurassic Coast at Lyme Regis, Dorset, UK. This is a carefully chosen natural specimen, and the photographs show the exact fossil you will receive, with full sizing clearly visible in the images.

This fossil is supplied with a lifetime Certificate of Authenticity on a generic card, guaranteeing it as a genuine natural specimen. The ammonite has been professionally cleaned, prepared, and stabilised to enhance detail while preserving its original geological character.

Fossil Type and Species – Crucilobiceras

Crucilobiceras is a distinctive ammonite genus from the Lower Jurassic (Lower Lias), belonging to the Order Ammonitida, within the Family Eoderoceratidae. These ammonites lived during the Sinemurian Stage, approximately 195 million years ago, when warm, shallow seas covered much of southern Britain.

Crucilobiceras is valued for its robust shell form and bold ornamentation, making it a highly desirable ammonite for collectors. Specimens from Dorset are particularly sought after due to their scientific significance and exceptional preservation within the Black Ven Marls.

Morphology and Diagnostic Characteristics

This specimen displays the defining features of Crucilobiceras, including:

• A broad, evolute shell, with earlier whorls clearly visible
• Strong, well-developed radial ribs across the flanks
• A sturdy, rounded whorl section
• Clear growth lines and natural symmetry

The bold ribbing gives Crucilobiceras a powerful and eye-catching appearance, making it an excellent display fossil and an important example of Early Jurassic ammonite morphology.

Golden Pyrite Preservation

One of the most striking aspects of this fossil is its natural golden pyrite mineralisation. Pyrite, often called “fool’s gold,” formed when iron and sulphur combined under low-oxygen conditions within the Jurassic seabed sediments. Over millions of years, pyrite replaced or infilled the original shell material, preserving fine surface detail while producing a shimmering metallic gold finish.

Golden pyrite ammonites from the Black Ven Marls are especially prized because they combine strong scientific value with exceptional aesthetic appeal. The reflective surface highlights the ribbing and shell contours, making this specimen stand out in any collection.

Geological Context – Black Ven Marls, Lower Lias

The Black Ven Marls were deposited in a quiet offshore marine environment during the Early Jurassic. Fine-grained muds accumulated on the sea floor, allowing ammonites and other marine organisms to be rapidly buried and fossilised.

Stonebarrow Cliff and Charmouth lie within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Jurassic Coast, one of the most important fossil regions in the world. Fossils from this locality have been collected and studied for over two centuries and continue to play a crucial role in understanding Jurassic marine ecosystems, sedimentology, and ammonite evolution.

Collector, Educational, and Display Value

Crucilobiceras ammonites are highly desirable for:

• Fossil and ammonite collectors
• Mineral collectors attracted to pyrite preservation
• Educational and teaching collections
• Display cabinets and curated fossil shelves

The combination of bold shell morphology and golden pyrite mineralisation makes this specimen both visually impressive and scientifically meaningful.

Authenticity and Provenance

• Fossil type: Crucilobiceras ammonite
• Preservation: natural golden pyrite
• Formation: Black Ven Marls, Lower Lias
• Geological age: Lower Jurassic, Sinemurian Stage
• Locality: Stonebarrow Cliff, Charmouth, Lyme Regis, Dorset, UK
• Certificate: Lifetime Certificate of Authenticity included

This fossil represents a genuine piece of Dorset’s Jurassic seabed, preserving a marine animal that lived nearly 200 million years ago, and offers a rare opportunity to own a beautifully preserved golden pyrite ammonite from one of the world’s most celebrated fossil localities.