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

Description

Available here is a beautifully preserved fossil ammonite, EUHOPLITES opalinus, from the renowned Gault Clay Formation at Folkestone, Kent, United Kingdom. This specimen dates to the Middle Albian Stage of the Cretaceous Period and exemplifies the fine detail and preservation for which Gault Clay fossils are celebrated.

Fossil Type & Species:

• Type: Ammonite (Extinct Marine Cephalopod)
• Species: Euhoplites opalinus
• Distinguished by its ornate ribbing, pronounced ventrolateral tubercles, and sharply keeled venter

Geological Context:

• Era: Mesozoic
• Period: Cretaceous
• Epoch: Early Cretaceous
• Stage: Middle Albian (~107 to 105 million years ago)
• Formation: Gault Clay Formation
• Depositional Environment: Deep marine setting with fine clay sediment accumulation. Anoxic conditions often led to exquisite fossil preservation with minimal shell compression or distortion

Morphological Features:

• Medium-sized, involute shell with compressed, planispiral whorls
• Straight, prominent ribbing terminating in ventrolateral tubercles
• Strongly keeled venter (underside), characteristic of Euhoplites species
• Excellent preservation of fine surface details due to clay-rich matrix

Scientific Importance:

• Euhoplites opalinus is a significant biozonal ammonite, helping define subdivisions within the Middle Albian of the European Cretaceous stratigraphic record
• An important representative of the evolving Hoplitidae lineage during a major transgressive phase of the Cretaceous seas

Locality Information:

• Folkestone, Kent, UK – a premier fossil locality along the southeast coast of England, renowned for its Middle Albian ammonite fauna and exceptional fossil diversity from the Gault Clay

Authenticity & Display:

All of our fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens and include a Certificate of Authenticity. The photos in the listing show the actual specimen for sale. Please refer to the image for full sizing – the scale cube = 1cm.

This is an outstanding example of Euhoplites opalinus, ideal for collectors of British Cretaceous ammonites, educators, or enthusiasts of Gault Clay marine fossils.

Add a true piece of English palaeontological heritage to your collection—Euhoplites opalinus, over 105 million years old, from the fossil-rich coast of Folkestone.