Gault Clay Crab Fossil Cretaceous Folkestone Kent UK Genuine Specimen with Certificate of Authenticity

Genuine Cretaceous Crab Fossil from the Gault Clay, Folkestone

This listing features an authentic Gault Clay crab fossil collected from the world-famous exposures at Folkestone, Kent, United Kingdom. The specimen is a genuine Cretaceous marine fossil, carefully chosen for its preservation quality, clarity of form, and overall display appeal. The photographs show the exact fossil you will receive, allowing full confidence in authenticity, condition, and proportions. Full sizing details are clearly visible in the images.

The fossil is supplied with a lifetime Certificate of Authenticity, provided as a generic card, guaranteeing that the specimen is genuine and responsibly sourced.

Geological Formation – Gault Clay

The Gault Clay Formation dates to the Albian Stage of the Early Cretaceous, approximately 113–100 million years ago. During this period, southern Britain was submerged beneath a warm, shallow epicontinental sea. Fine clay sediments accumulated slowly on the sea floor, creating low-energy and low-oxygen conditions that were ideal for preserving delicate marine organisms.

Folkestone is internationally recognised as one of the most important Gault Clay localities, producing an exceptionally diverse fossil assemblage including ammonites, bivalves, echinoderms, fish remains, marine reptiles, and crustaceans. Fossils from this site are highly regarded for their stratigraphic importance and strong association with classic British geology.

Fossil Type – Cretaceous Marine Crab

This specimen represents a fossilised marine crab belonging to the order Decapoda, a group that includes modern crabs, lobsters, and shrimp. By the Early Cretaceous, true crabs were already well established and had diversified into a wide range of ecological niches.

These crabs inhabited the sea floor, where they scavenged, burrowed, and fed among soft sediments and shell debris. Fossil crabs from the Gault Clay are relatively uncommon compared to other fossil types, making them particularly desirable to collectors and researchers alike.

Preservation and Morphological Interest

The fine-grained nature of the Gault Clay allows for excellent preservation of crustacean remains. Carapace outlines, surface textures, and overall body proportions are often visible, providing valuable insight into early crab anatomy and evolution.

The fossil displays natural mineralisation acquired over millions of years of burial. Colour, texture, and surface detail are entirely natural and reflect the geochemical conditions present during fossilisation. The specimen has not been artificially reconstructed or enhanced, ensuring it remains a true geological fossil.

Scientific and Educational Value

Cretaceous crab fossils from Folkestone are important for understanding early crab evolution and benthic marine ecosystems. They are frequently used in educational and teaching collections to demonstrate fossilisation processes, arthropod anatomy, and marine paleoecology during the Early Cretaceous.

The Gault Clay is also widely used for stratigraphic study, and fossils from this formation play a key role in correlating Cretaceous marine deposits across Europe.

Collecting and Display Appeal

This fossil is ideal for collectors of British fossils, marine invertebrates, or Cretaceous material. It makes an excellent display specimen for a cabinet, desk, or educational setting and is equally suitable as a unique and meaningful gift.

Every specimen offered is carefully selected, and the fact that the photographs show the exact fossil you will receive ensures complete transparency. Supplied with a lifetime Certificate of Authenticity, this Gault Clay crab fossil represents a genuine piece of ancient marine life from one of the UK’s most important fossil localities, preserved for over 100 million years and now available to be appreciated today.