Description
This listing features a well-preserved Fossil Chalk Echinoid – Conulus sp., discovered in the Cretaceous chalk beds of Margate, Kent, England. A fine example of a sea urchin fossil from Britain’s famous Upper Cretaceous marine strata.
All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. The item shown in the photos is the exact specimen you will receive. Please refer to the photo with the 1cm scale cube for full sizing.
Fossil Overview:
- Genus: Conulus (exact species undetermined)
- Common Name: Fossil Sea Urchin / Chalk Echinoid
- Geological Period: Cretaceous
- Formation: Upper Chalk (Margate Chalk Member, possibly part of the Seaford Chalk Formation)
- Location: Margate, Kent, England
- Preservation Type: Chalk matrix fossil
Geological Context:
The chalk deposits of Margate are part of the Upper Cretaceous Chalk Group, deposited between ~100 to 66 million years ago. These chalk beds represent a calm, warm, epicontinental marine environment, rich in microscopic coccoliths and marine invertebrates.
Fossils in this formation are typically found in soft, white chalk, ideal for preserving delicate structures such as echinoid tests. The area is well known for yielding a wide variety of marine fossils including bivalves, brachiopods, belemnites, and echinoderms.
Taxonomy & Classification:
- Phylum: Echinodermata
- Class: Echinoidea
- Order: Echinoneoida
- Superfamily: Conulidea
- Family: Conulidae
- Genus: Conulus
- Species: Undetermined
Morphological Features:
Typical of the genus Conulus, this echinoid shows:
- A sub-pentagonal, slightly domed test (shell)
- Smooth surface with poorly developed ambulacra (pore areas)
- A distinct apical dome and a relatively flat underside
- Oral and anal structures positioned according to bilateral symmetry, suggesting a semi-infaunal lifestyle
These sea urchins lived on or just below the seafloor, sifting fine sediment for organic particles.
Notable Aspects:
- Found in classic chalk exposures of Kent
- Beautiful natural preservation in original chalk matrix
- A historically important fossil site in British palaeontology
- Ideal for collectors, educators, and fossil display
Why Buy From Us?
- All fossils are 100% authentic, no replicas
- Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity
- The exact item photographed is what you will receive
- Fast, secure packaging and dispatch
Own a fascinating piece of England’s ancient seabed with this lovely Conulus echinoid fossil. A beautiful and educational specimen from the age of the dinosaurs.
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