Description
Flabellisphinctes tuberosus Ammonite Fossil – Middle Jurassic Callovian, Switzerland
This genuine Flabellisphinctes tuberosus ammonite fossil is a collectable Middle Jurassic marine cephalopod specimen from Switzerland. Dating from the Callovian Stage of the Middle Jurassic, approximately 166 to 164 million years old, this fossil represents an ancient ammonite from the warm marine environments that covered parts of Europe during the Jurassic Period.
This fossil is a genuine specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. It has been carefully chosen as an individual fossil specimen, with a photo that shows the actual piece you will receive. Full sizing please see photo.
Geology and Geological Age
Flabellisphinctes tuberosus comes from the Callovian Stage of the Middle Jurassic, a time when much of Europe was covered by shallow epicontinental seas. During this period, marine conditions extended across large areas of what is now Switzerland, France, Germany and the wider western Tethyan region. These warm Jurassic seas supported a diverse ecosystem of ammonites, belemnites, bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods, echinoids, corals, fish and marine reptiles.
The Callovian is an important stage for ammonite study because many ammonite groups evolved rapidly and produced distinctive shell forms that are useful for dating and correlating marine rock layers. Fossils from this interval are valued by collectors and palaeontologists because they provide a detailed record of Middle Jurassic marine biodiversity.
Fossil Type and Species
This specimen belongs to the ammonite species Flabellisphinctes tuberosus, a Middle Jurassic ammonite associated with the Callovian seas of Europe. Ammonites were extinct marine cephalopods related to modern squid, octopus and cuttlefish, but unlike their living relatives, they possessed an external coiled shell divided internally into chambers.
The living animal occupied the outer body chamber, while the earlier internal chambers helped control buoyancy. This allowed ammonites to move through the water column in search of food and suitable habitats. Their rapid evolution, widespread distribution and distinctive shell shapes make ammonites some of the most important index fossils of the Jurassic Period.
Morphology and Collectable Features
Flabellisphinctes tuberosus is especially interesting for collectors because of its classic Jurassic ammonite form and attractive natural ornamentation. Depending on preservation and growth stage, specimens may show visible whorls, strong ribbing, tubercles, shell curvature, chamber structure, natural matrix contact, mineral replacement or sutural detail.
The name tuberosus refers to the tuberculate or nodular character associated with the species, a feature that can give examples of this ammonite a more sculptural appearance. Ribs and tubercles formed part of the original shell structure and may have helped strengthen the shell. These features also provide useful details for identification and make each specimen visually distinctive.
In well-preserved ammonites, suture lines may appear as intricate patterns on the shell surface. These mark the junctions between the internal chamber walls and the outer shell, and they are one of the key features palaeontologists use when studying ammonite classification and evolution.
Middle Jurassic Seas of Switzerland
During the Middle Jurassic, Switzerland was not the mountainous Alpine landscape seen today. Instead, the region was influenced by marine basins, shallow seaways and carbonate-rich environments along the margins of the ancient Tethys Ocean. Sediments deposited in these seas later became part of the complex Jurassic geological record of the region.
A Flabellisphinctes tuberosus ammonite from Switzerland is a desirable fossil for collectors interested in European Jurassic fossils, Callovian ammonites, marine cephalopods and natural history display specimens. Its combination of named species, clear geological stage and classic Jurassic age makes it suitable for both display and study.
Depositional Environment
This ammonite was preserved in sediments laid down beneath a warm Jurassic sea. After the ammonite died, its shell settled onto the sea floor and became buried by fine sediment, carbonate mud or shell-rich material. Over millions of years, burial, compaction and mineral-rich groundwater helped transform the shell into a fossil.
The resulting specimen is a natural record of marine life from the Callovian seas of Europe. It reflects a time when ammonites were abundant, diverse and highly successful members of Jurassic marine ecosystems.
Authenticity and Display
This is a genuine Flabellisphinctes tuberosus ammonite fossil from the Middle Jurassic, Callovian of Switzerland. It includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card and is suitable for fossil collectors, geology enthusiasts, educational collections, natural history displays, cabinet display or as a distinctive gift for anyone interested in prehistoric marine life.
The fossil has been carefully selected, and the photo shows the actual specimen you will receive. Full sizing please see photo.
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