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Petrified wood slice – auracaria sp. monkey puzzle tree – genuine triassic fossil from madagascar – with certificate of authenticity

Petrified wood slice – auracaria sp. monkey puzzle tree – genuine triassic fossil from madagascar – with certificate of authenticity

Original price was: £26.40.Current price is: £23.76.

All of our Fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens & come with a Certificate of Authenticity

**Please note: Some fossils maybe propped up for photo purposes**

Name: Auracaria sp.

Specimen: Petrified Wood – Monkey Puzzle Tree Slice

Age: Triassic

Location: Madagascar

Size (picture scale cube=1cm):   55 x 10 x 67mm (2.17 x 0.39 x 2.64 inches)

ACTUAL AS SEEN: The image shows the EXACT specimen you will receive. The specimen has been carefully hand selected and photographed. Measurements are as accurate as possible, though be aware measuring precise dimensions can be difficult from irregular shaped items. Whilst we portray colours as close to life-like as we can, colours will vary if taken in sunlight, indoors, from monitor to monitor and device to device. Once this specimen is sold, we will update this listing with new similar selected item, with a new photo and dimensions.

What is a fossil?

The word Fossil used to be defined as ‘something dug up’. Now-a-days it generally means ‘The remains or trace evidence of prehistoric life’. The study of fossils is called palaeontology; someone who collects and studies them is called a palaeontologists. Fossils can be as tiny as a grain of pollen or a seed for e.g. or as huge as a limb bone from a giant dinosaur. For animal or plant remains to have become ‘fossilised ‘, they must go through a certain process that preserves them for up to millions of years after they have died. Usually it is only the hard parts of plants and animals that survive this long process.

How Fossils Formed

 

The most common method of how fossils formed is once an animal or plant dies, it falls to the ground, and is covered by sediment. This is often sediments brought from water. In the diagram above, the ammonite died in a river, and sediments over time covered the ammonite (shown in the second diagram). Finally after hundreds of thousands, or millions of years, the land is eroded and the fossil can be seen.

Of the vast amount of prehistoric life that died, it is only a tiny amount that has survived the fossilisation process. The conditions when the majority of life died were just not right at that time, to preserve them. Most fossils are found in sedimentary rocks which were formed from the sediments of rivers, lakes and seas. The majority of the animal and plant fossils we find today, had originally died near these areas, got broken up and deposited on the beds of the rivers, lakes and seas. The sediments covered them and over time some of the layers grew so thick that many of them got crushed. The sediments compacted and over time and turned to rock. The rocks shifted, moved and became exposed to the elements. This process can take up to several hundred million years. Now as the rocks erode or are quarried for example the fossils become exposed and can be collected.

The Best conditions for Fossilisation

1. The quick burial of animal remains in moist sediments. This prevents scavengers from eating and bacteria from decaying them.

2. The quick burial in volcanic ash. Many dinosaur bones in the American west have been found buried in volcanic ash.

3. The presence of hard body or plant parts, teeth, bones, shell and wood for example.

4. Unchanging temperature conditions.

5. Ground water that is heavily mineralised.

6. Sediments that are very fine make a better burial than coarser gravels.

7. Calm conditions, so that remains are not broken up (by wave or currant action for example)

(Actual as seen)

Only 1 left in stock

SKU: FP9813 Category:

Description

For sale is a beautiful and 100% genuine petrified wood slice of the species Auracaria sp.—commonly known as the Monkey Puzzle Tree. This specimen dates to the Triassic Period, approximately 220 to 250 million years ago, and comes from the fossil-rich deposits of Madagascar. Carefully polished to reveal the intricate inner structure and ring patterning of the original tree, this slice offers a stunning visual glimpse into Earth’s ancient forests.

Fossil & Geological Information:

  • Name: Auracaria sp.
  • Specimen: Petrified Wood Slice (Monkey Puzzle Tree)
  • Age: Triassic Period (~250–220 million years ago)
  • Location: Madagascar
  • Phylum: Plantae
  • Family: Araucariaceae
  • Scale Cube = 1cm – See photo for full sizing
  • Authenticity: 100% Genuine – Includes Certificate of Authenticity

What is Petrified Wood?

Petrified wood is a type of fossil in which the organic material of a tree has been replaced by minerals—usually silica—while retaining the original structure of the wood, including tree rings, bark textures, and even cellular patterns. The process, called permineralisation, occurs over millions of years as the wood becomes buried under layers of sediment and exposed to mineral-rich groundwater. In time, the wood’s tissues are replaced with stone, creating a beautiful and durable fossil.

This particular specimen represents Auracaria sp., a genus of evergreen trees in the Araucariaceae family. Modern relatives include the Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana), which still grows in parts of South America. During the Triassic, members of this genus dominated Earth’s early coniferous forests.

Why Collect Petrified Wood?

  • It’s a unique window into Earth’s botanical past—this slice is over 220 million years old!
  • Beautiful natural patterns and colours make it ideal for display
  • Offers educational value for classrooms, museums, and homeschoolers
  • Sought after by collectors, geologists, interior decorators, and fossil enthusiasts alike
  • Adds natural history interest to homes, offices, or personal fossil collections

How Do Fossils Form? (Educational Insight)

Fossils such as petrified wood form when organic material is buried quickly—often by river sediment, volcanic ash, or fine-grained silt—which prevents decay. Over time, mineral-rich groundwater replaces the organic tissues with minerals like silica, calcite, or pyrite, preserving the tree’s original structure in stone.

Favourable fossilisation conditions include:

  1. Rapid burial in moist, fine sediments
  2. Presence of hard plant materials like wood
  3. Minimal disturbance (calm water or ashfall)
  4. Long-term mineral-rich groundwater exposure
  5. Stable temperatures and pressure over millions of years

These conditions were met in Madagascar’s Triassic fossil beds, making them one of the world’s best sources of petrified wood.

Key Features:

  • Authentic Triassic petrified wood fossil slice
  • Species: Auracaria sp. – ancestral Monkey Puzzle Tree
  • From Madagascar – known for exceptional fossil wood preservation
  • Highly polished to highlight internal structure and ring detail
  • Certificate of Authenticity included
  • Exact specimen shown – hand-selected and professionally photographed
  • Scale cube = 1cm – see image for accurate size reference
  • Colours may vary depending on lighting and monitor settings
  • Some specimens may be gently propped for photography
  • Listing will be updated with a new specimen once sold

ACTUAL AS SEEN: You will receive the exact slice shown in the listing photo. This piece has been carefully hand-selected for its quality, polish, and scientific value. Please note that measuring dimensions of naturally irregular specimens may vary slightly. Colours may appear differently depending on lighting conditions or screen calibration.

Bring a piece of Earth’s ancient forests into your hands with this exquisitely preserved Monkey Puzzle Tree fossil—a polished slice of Triassic life, over 220 million years in the making.

Additional information

Weight 1 g
Era

Triassic
Origin

Madagascar

Triassic Information

The Triassic Period (252–201 million years ago) marked the beginning of the Mesozoic Era, following the Permian-Triassic mass extinction, the most severe extinction event in Earth's history. The climate was hot and dry, with vast deserts and little polar ice. Life slowly recovered, leading to the rise of the first dinosaurs, pterosaurs (flying reptiles), and early mammals. Reptiles, including large archosaurs (ancestors of crocodiles and dinosaurs), dominated both land and sea. In the oceans, ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs thrived alongside ammonites and early coral reefs. The first true conifers and ginkgo trees spread across the land. The period ended with another mass extinction, paving the way for the Jurassic and the golden age of dinosaurs.

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