Cubitostrea plicata Oyster Fossil Eocene Bracklesham Bay Sussex UK Specimen – Bracklesham Group Lutetian Fossil Oyster Shell Display

Description

Cubitostrea plicata Oyster Fossil from Bracklesham Bay

This genuine Cubitostrea plicata oyster fossil comes from the Bracklesham Group exposed at Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, United Kingdom, and dates to the Eocene Epoch during the Lutetian stage, approximately 47–41 million years ago. The Bracklesham Bay coastline is one of the most famous Eocene fossil localities in Britain and has produced a rich variety of marine fossils including oysters, gastropods, sharks’ teeth, crustaceans, and fish remains.

Cubitostrea plicata is a distinctive species of fossil oyster that lived in warm shallow seas during the Eocene. The thick, strongly sculptured shell and characteristic folded ornamentation make this species particularly recognisable. Fossils of this oyster are common in the Bracklesham sediments and provide valuable evidence of the rich marine ecosystems that existed in southern England during the early part of the Cenozoic Era.

This specimen represents a natural oyster shell preserved within the sedimentary deposits that formed along the ancient coastline.

Geological Setting of the Bracklesham Group

The fossil originates from the Bracklesham Group, a sequence of marine sands, silts, and clays deposited along the margins of the Eocene London–Hampshire Basin. During the Lutetian stage, this region lay beneath warm shallow seas connected to the early Atlantic Ocean.

The sediments exposed along the beaches at Bracklesham Bay and nearby Selsey consist largely of fine marine sands and silty clays, deposited in coastal shelf environments where tides and currents moved sediment across the seabed.

These deposits contain a diverse assemblage of marine fossils including:

• Bivalves and oysters
• Gastropods
• Shark and ray teeth
• Fish bones
• Crustaceans
• Occasional plant material transported from nearby landmasses

The fossil-rich layers found along the foreshore provide a remarkable record of marine life during the Eocene and are widely studied by geologists and fossil collectors.

Biological Classification of Cubitostrea plicata

Cubitostrea plicata belongs to the phylum Mollusca, class Bivalvia, order Ostreida, and family Ostreidae. Oysters within this family are marine bivalves adapted to life attached to hard surfaces or stable sediment on the seabed.

Unlike many bivalves that move freely, oysters typically cement one valve permanently to a substrate such as rock, shell fragments, or other hard surfaces. The upper valve then acts as a protective lid.

The genus Cubitostrea is characterised by its thick shell, irregular growth form, and strong ribbing. The species Cubitostrea plicata is particularly noted for its folded shell structure and robust growth pattern.

Morphology and Shell Characteristics

Cubitostrea plicata displays a number of distinctive morphological features that make it easily recognisable in fossil form.

Key characteristics often include:

• Thick calcitic shell construction
• Strongly folded or plicated surface ornamentation
• Irregular shell outline reflecting growth on uneven substrates
• Distinct concentric growth bands
• Asymmetrical valves typical of oysters

The shell’s ribbed and folded texture reflects the animal’s growth over time as it adapted to environmental conditions such as sediment movement and water currents.

These strong calcitic shells fossilise readily, which is why oysters are commonly preserved in marine sedimentary deposits such as those found at Bracklesham Bay.

Eocene Marine Environment of Southern England

During the Lutetian stage of the Eocene, southern England was located within a warm temperate to subtropical marine environment. Sea levels were relatively high, and shallow coastal seas extended across the London–Hampshire Basin.

These waters supported diverse marine communities that included:

• Oysters and other bivalves
• Marine snails and gastropods
• Crabs and crustaceans
• Sharks and rays
• Numerous species of fish

Oysters such as Cubitostrea plicata typically lived attached to firm surfaces within these shallow marine environments. Their filter-feeding lifestyle allowed them to extract plankton and organic particles from seawater, playing an important role within the coastal ecosystem.

When the organisms died, their shells accumulated on the seabed and were eventually buried by sand and silt, allowing fossilisation to occur over millions of years.

Authentic Fossil Specimen

This fossil is a genuine Cubitostrea plicata oyster from the Bracklesham Group, Eocene of Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, UK. The specimen has been carefully selected for quality and display appeal.

The photograph shows the actual fossil specimen you will receive, allowing collectors to clearly observe the preserved oyster shell and natural fossil matrix.

Full sizing please see photo.

Certificate of Authenticity

This fossil includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, confirming that the specimen is a genuine natural fossil.

Cubitostrea fossils from Bracklesham Bay are classic British Eocene specimens and represent life in the warm coastal seas that covered southern England over 40 million years ago. Their distinctive shell structure and well-known locality make them excellent additions to fossil collections, geological displays, and educational exhibits.