Forbesiceras obtectum Ammonite Fossil Upper Cretaceous Devon UK Genuine COA Lower Cenomanian Shapwick Grange Collector

Description

Genuine Forbesiceras obtectum Ammonite Fossil

This listing is for a genuine Forbesiceras obtectum ammonite fossil from the Upper Cretaceous, Lower Cenomanian, found at Shapwick Grange, Devon, UK. This is a carefully chosen fossil specimen, selected for its natural character, scientific interest and strong collector appeal. The photo shows the actual fossil you will receive, so the colour, preservation, surface texture and overall appearance shown are specific to this individual piece. For full sizing, please see the photo.

This fossil is a genuine specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card.

Fossil Type and Species

Forbesiceras obtectum is an extinct ammonite, a marine cephalopod belonging to the ammonoid group. Ammonites were shelled prehistoric animals related to modern squid, cuttlefish and nautilus. They lived in ancient seas and used their chambered shells to help control buoyancy, while the living animal occupied the outer body chamber.

Scientific classification:

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Mollusca

Class: Cephalopoda

Subclass: Ammonoidea

Order: Ammonitida

Superfamily: Acanthoceratoidea

Family: Forbesiceratidae

Genus: Forbesiceras

Species: Forbesiceras obtectum

Forbesiceras obtectum was originally described by Sharpe in 1853. The genus Forbesiceras was later established by Kossmat in 1897 and is recognised as a distinctive Cenomanian ammonite group. Forbesiceras is especially noted for its elegant, compressed shell form and its importance in Cretaceous ammonite studies.

Geological Age and Devon Locality

This specimen dates from the Lower Cenomanian stage of the Upper Cretaceous Period. The Cenomanian represents the earliest stage of the Late Cretaceous and was a time of high global sea levels, warm climates and widespread shallow marine environments. During this period, large areas of southern Britain were influenced by marine conditions, with sediment accumulating in seas that supported ammonites, bivalves, gastropods, fish, sharks, marine reptiles and other prehistoric life.

The locality of Shapwick Grange in Devon is significant for Cretaceous fossil material and adds strong British geological interest to this specimen. Devon is better known to many collectors for its older Palaeozoic geology, so an Upper Cretaceous ammonite from this area is a particularly interesting addition to a UK fossil collection.

Morphology and Notable Features

Forbesiceras ammonites are known for their compressed, involute shell form. Involute ammonites have outer whorls that wrap closely over earlier whorls, often leaving a small or closed umbilicus. This gives the shell a refined, streamlined appearance compared with more open-coiled or heavily ribbed ammonites.

The genus is often described as having a relatively smooth, oxycone shell shape, with a narrow, sharp or finely rounded outer edge. These features would have given the animal a hydrodynamic shell form suited to movement through the water column. The shell was internally divided into chambers by septa, with complex suture lines where the septa met the shell wall. In ammonites, these suture patterns are among the most important features used for classification and identification.

As a natural fossil, this specimen may show mineralisation, matrix, surface texture, preparation marks, shell detail, natural wear or small imperfections. These are all part of the fossil’s geological history and help make each specimen unique.

Ancient Marine Environment

During the Lower Cenomanian, Forbesiceras obtectum lived in a warm Cretaceous sea. Ammonites were active marine animals and likely fed on small prey such as crustaceans, fish larvae and other soft-bodied organisms. They formed part of a complex food web alongside other cephalopods, fish, marine reptiles and benthic invertebrates living on or near the sea floor.

The sediments that preserved ammonites like Forbesiceras record a time when marine ecosystems were expanding across Europe. Fossils from this interval are highly valued because ammonites evolved rapidly and are useful for dating and comparing Cretaceous rock layers across different regions.

Collector Display and Authenticity

This Forbesiceras obtectum ammonite fossil is ideal for fossil collectors, British fossil enthusiasts, natural history displays, geology collections, educational use or as a unique prehistoric gift. It represents a genuine Upper Cretaceous ammonite from Devon, UK, with a strong scientific background and appealing display value.

You will receive the exact fossil shown in the photo. This is not a stock image or randomly selected specimen. The fossil comes with a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, confirming it as a genuine specimen. Please see the photo for full sizing, condition and visual details.