Fossil Ammonite – EUHOPLITES NITIDUS – Gault Clay, Middle Albian Cretaceous, Folkestone Kent UK

Description

This listing features a beautifully preserved fossil ammonite, EUHOPLITES NITIDUS, from the Gault Clay Formation of Folkestone, Kent, United Kingdom. This specimen dates to the Middle Albian Stage of the Cretaceous Period and represents one of the more ornately ribbed species of the Euhoplites genus, prized for its distinct morphology and scientific importance.

Taxonomic Classification:

• Order: Ammonitida
• Superfamily: Acanthoceratoidea
• Family: Hoplitidae
• Genus & Species: Euhoplites nitidus

Geological Context:

• Period: Cretaceous
• Stage: Middle Albian (~108–105 million years ago)
• Formation: Gault Clay Formation
• Depositional Environment: Deep marine shelf composed of fine-grained clays deposited in low-energy settings. Ideal conditions for the preservation of ammonites and other invertebrates with delicate shell features.

Morphological Features:

• Small to medium-sized ammonite with a strongly compressed, discoidal shell
• Prominent ribbing and fine striations along the whorls
• A strong keel along the venter, with tuberculate ornamentation along the flanks in many specimens
• Typically ranges from 3 to 6 cm in diameter depending on preservation and growth stage

Scientific Importance:

• Euhoplites nitidus is a key biostratigraphic marker within the Middle Albian ammonite zonation in the Anglo-Paris Basin
• It contributes to refining local and regional stratigraphy and is essential for correlating fossiliferous marine sequences across northern Europe

Locality Information:

• Folkestone, Kent, UK – a historically important fossil collecting site along the southeast coast of England, renowned for its Gault Clay exposures and yielding exceptional specimens of Albian ammonites, belemnites, and bivalves

Authenticity & Display:

All of our fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. This listing includes actual photographs of the exact specimen you will receive. Please note the scale rule cube = 1cm, and refer to the photo for full measurements.

This is a highly desirable and rare example of Euhoplites nitidus, ideal for ammonite collectors, educators, and palaeontology enthusiasts alike. Its detailed ribbing and preservation quality make it a showpiece of Cretaceous marine life.

Bring home a scientifically valuable ammonite from over 100 million years ago—an iconic piece of Britain’s fossil heritage.