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 striking Crucilobiceras golden pyrite ammonite fossil, collected from the renowned Black Ven Marls at Stonebarrow Cliff, Charmouth, on the world-famous Jurassic Coast at Lyme Regis, Dorset, UK. This is a carefully chosen natural specimen, with the photographs showing the exact fossil you will receive. Full sizing and scale can be clearly seen in the images.

This fossil includes 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 surface detail while preserving its original geological integrity.

Fossil Type and Species – Crucilobiceras

Crucilobiceras is a well-established ammonite genus from the Lower Jurassic (Lower Lias), belonging to the Order Ammonitida, Superfamily Eoderoceratoidea, and Family Eoderoceratidae. These ammonites lived during the Sinemurian Stage, approximately 195 million years ago, when warm, shallow seas covered much of what is now southern England.

Crucilobiceras is an important component of Early Jurassic ammonite assemblages and is valued for both its distinctive morphology and its stratigraphic significance. Specimens from Dorset are especially prized due to the classic exposures and long history of scientific study associated with 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 ribbing across the flanks
• A robust, rounded whorl section
• Clear growth lines reflecting natural shell development and symmetry

The bold ribbing and solid shell structure give Crucilobiceras a powerful visual presence, making it an excellent example of Early Jurassic ammonite design. These features also make the genus particularly attractive for display and comparative study.

Golden Pyrite Preservation

One of the most visually impressive aspects of this fossil is its natural golden pyrite mineralisation. Pyrite formed when iron and sulphur combined under low-oxygen conditions within the fine marine sediments of the Jurassic seabed. Over millions of years, this process replaced or infilled the original shell material, preserving fine surface detail while producing a shimmering metallic gold appearance.

Golden pyrite ammonites from the Black Ven Marls are especially sought after because they combine high scientific value with exceptional aesthetic appeal. The reflective pyrite highlights the ribbing and shell contours, making this specimen particularly eye-catching under display lighting.

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 settled on the sea floor, allowing ammonites and other marine organisms to be rapidly buried and fossilised under conditions favourable for mineral replacement.

Stonebarrow Cliff and Charmouth form part of 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 remain central to 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.