Fossil Reptile Bones and Coprolites Block Famous Fish Reptile Coprolite Bed Aust Cliff Westbury Formation Penarth Group UK

Description

Genuine Fossil Reptile Bones and Coprolites from Aust Cliff

This listing is for a rare fossil block containing reptile bones and coprolites from the world-famous fish, reptile, and coprolite bed at Aust Cliff, Bristol, UK. Collected from the Westbury Formation of the Penarth Group, this specimen dates to the Upper Triassic period (approximately 215–201 million years ago). The fossil you see in the photographs is the exact specimen you will receive, with a 1 cm scale cube provided for accurate sizing.

Discovered on 07 April 2025 by our dedicated collectors Alister and Alison, the specimen has been meticulously cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison to ensure both stability and detail. Every piece we sell is carefully selected and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, confirming it as a genuine and scientifically important fossil.

Geological Setting and Age

The fossil originates from the Westbury Formation, a bone-rich unit within the Penarth Group at Aust Cliff. This site is one of Britain’s classic fossil localities, celebrated for its dense accumulations of vertebrate remains. Deposited in a shallow marine to lagoonal environment, the bed records a time of ecological transition during the late Triassic, just before the rise of the great dinosaurs of the Jurassic.

The bone bed formed during episodes of flooding and rapid burial, which concentrated bones, coprolites, and fish remains within thin layers of dark shale and limestone. These conditions preserved the fossils in remarkable detail, creating a unique window into the late Triassic ecosystem.

Fossil Features – Reptile Bones and Coprolites

The block contains identifiable reptile bone fragments together with multiple coprolites (fossilised faeces). Reptile bones from Aust Cliff are often attributed to marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs or early crocodile-like phytosaurs, groups well represented in Upper Triassic faunas of Europe.

The coprolites are equally valuable, often preserving inclusions of undigested bone or fish scales, providing direct evidence of the diet and feeding habits of ancient predators. Together, the bones and coprolites present a vivid picture of the predator-prey relationships and food webs that characterised the Triassic seas.

Scientific and Collector Importance

Specimens from Aust Cliff are highly prized due to their rarity, provenance, and scientific value. Fossil blocks containing both skeletal remains and coprolites are particularly desirable because they illustrate multiple aspects of the ecosystem in a single piece. These fossils have played a key role in palaeontological research, helping scientists to reconstruct the diversity of vertebrates and the depositional environments of the late Triassic.

For collectors, this specimen represents a unique opportunity to own a genuine vertebrate fossil from a renowned UK site. It is equally suited for display in a private collection, as an educational resource, or as a centrepiece in a museum exhibit. Its mixture of bones and coprolites makes it a fascinating specimen with both aesthetic and scientific appeal.

A Rare Piece of Natural History

This fossil block from Aust Cliff captures a genuine fragment of Upper Triassic life, preserving both reptile bones and coprolites in association. Carefully prepared and authenticated, it offers a rare chance to hold a piece of deep time and connect directly with Britain’s prehistoric past.

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