Fossil Nautilus Cenoceras elegans Lower Cenomanian Cretaceous Lewes Kent UK Genuine Specimen

Description

This is a beautiful and scientifically valuable fossil nautilus specimen of Cenoceras elegans, dating to the Lower Cenomanian stage of the Cretaceous period, discovered near Lewes, Kent, United Kingdom. Nautiloids are rare compared to ammonites, and this specimen is an excellent example of their elegant, tightly coiled shell form.

• Fossil Type: Nautiloid (extinct marine cephalopod)
• Genus & Species: Cenoceras elegans
• Size: See photo with 1cm scale cube for accurate dimensions
• Geological Period: Cretaceous
• Stage: Lower Cenomanian (~100.5 to 98 million years ago)
• Locality: Lewes, Kent, England, UK
• Family: Nautilidae
• Superfamily: Nautilaceae
• Order: Nautilida
• Depositional Environment: Shallow marine shelf with carbonate-rich sediments, likely part of an epicontinental sea with low sedimentation rates

Geological & Scientific Significance:

Cenoceras elegans is part of a long lineage of nautiloids that survived major extinction events, unlike their ammonite cousins. Although nautiloids date back to the Paleozoic, this Cretaceous form represents one of the more derived and ornamental species, with its rounded whorls and relatively smooth shell.

The Cenomanian stage marks the beginning of the Late Cretaceous and was a time of major marine transgressions and rich fossil deposition across southern England. Fossils from the Lewes Chalk and surrounding formations are prized for their exceptional preservation.

Unlike the typically ribbed and ornamented ammonites, Cenoceras has a more subtle shell form, with smooth or gently curved whorls and a broad umbilicus, making it instantly recognisable among collectors and researchers.

Notable Features:

• Smooth, planispiral shell typical of Cenoceras
• Excellent preservation with minimal distortion
• Rare UK nautiloid from a well-known Cretaceous marine site
• Distinct from ammonites; provides variety and evolutionary context in cephalopod collections

Authenticity Guaranteed: All of our fossils are 100% genuine. This fossil comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, confirming its scientific identity and origin.

Photo Disclosure: You will receive the exact item shown in the photographs. The included scale rule uses 1cm squares for size reference.

A unique and elegant piece of Cretaceous marine history, this Cenoceras elegans fossil is ideal for collectors, educators, or display purposes within any fossil or natural history collection.