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Graptolite Fossil Ordovician Mecissi Area Morocco Genuine Specimen | Authentic Paleozoic Colonial Fossil with Certificate of Authenticity
Graptolite Fossil Ordovician Mecissi Area Morocco Genuine Specimen | Authentic Paleozoic Colonial Fossil with Certificate of Authenticity - Image 2

Graptolite Fossil Ordovician Mecissi Area Morocco Genuine Specimen | Authentic Paleozoic Colonial Fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

£14.40

Ordovician Graptolite Fossil from the Mecissi Area, Morocco

This exceptional Graptolite Fossil from the Ordovician Period, discovered in the Mecissi area of Morocco, is a genuine and scientifically significant specimen that beautifully preserves the intricate detail of one of Earth’s earliest colonial marine organisms. The photograph shows the exact fossil specimen you will receive, and the scale cube = 1cm provides a precise size reference. Expertly cleaned and prepared to reveal fine structural details, this fossil is a striking example of ancient life from the Paleozoic seas, dating back over 450 million years.

Geological Context and Age

This specimen originates from the Ordovician System (approximately 485–443 million years ago), a period characterised by rapid diversification of marine life, often referred to as the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE). The Mecissi area, located in the Anti-Atlas region of Morocco, is well known for its richly fossiliferous sedimentary deposits. These strata were originally formed in shallow marine environments, where fine-grained sediments gently buried and preserved delicate organisms such as Graptolites, trilobites, and brachiopods.

The Graptolite-bearing layers of Mecissi are composed primarily of shale and fine siltstone, deposited in calm offshore environments under low-oxygen conditions. Such settings provided ideal conditions for the preservation of soft-bodied fossils. These fossils are valuable to paleontologists not only for their aesthetic appeal but also as precise biostratigraphic markers that help date and correlate Ordovician rock formations worldwide.

Fossil Type and Morphological Features

Graptolites are an extinct class of colonial marine animals belonging to the order Graptoloidea, within the phylum Hemichordata and the class Graptolithina. They are closely related to modern pterobranchs, small filter-feeding organisms that live in colonies attached to the sea floor or floating planktonically.

This specimen preserves the saw-tooth or dendritic branching pattern typical of the genus, with a finely detailed stipe structure showing numerous small thecae — the tiny cup-like chambers that once housed individual zooids (organisms within the colony). The fossil’s linear or gently curved form suggests it may represent a biserial or uniserial colony, depending on the branching arrangement visible in the slab. The preservation is excellent, with clear contrast between the dark carbonaceous fossil material and the lighter sedimentary matrix, enhancing its visual and scientific value.

Scientific and Collectible Importance

Graptolites are among the most important index fossils used in geological dating, particularly in Ordovician and Silurian biostratigraphy. They evolved rapidly and had wide geographic distribution, allowing geologists to identify specific zones, such as the Nemagraptus gracilis Zone and related assemblages, within the global stratigraphic record.

Specimens from Morocco’s Ordovician deposits are prized for their exceptional preservation and accessibility. The Mecissi locality has produced many fine examples that reveal both the delicate structure and evolutionary diversity of these colonial organisms. For collectors, Graptolites offer a direct link to the early Paleozoic oceans and represent one of the earliest complex marine life forms preserved in rock.

Authenticity and Presentation

All our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity confirming their provenance and geological age. Each piece is hand-selected for quality and detail, with careful preparation to reveal the fossil without over-polishing or artificial enhancement. The specimen’s natural contrast against its shale matrix highlights every fine structural element, creating a visually striking and scientifically significant display.

This Ordovician Graptolite from the Mecissi area, Morocco stands as both a beautiful decorative fossil and a tangible piece of Earth’s evolutionary history — a remarkable testament to the complexity and diversity of ancient marine ecosystems more than 450 million years ago.

(Actual as seen)

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Description

Ordovician Graptolite Fossil from the Mecissi Area, Morocco

This exceptional Graptolite Fossil from the Ordovician Period, discovered in the Mecissi area of Morocco, is a genuine and scientifically significant specimen that beautifully preserves the intricate detail of one of Earth’s earliest colonial marine organisms. The photograph shows the exact fossil specimen you will receive, and the scale cube = 1cm provides a precise size reference. Expertly cleaned and prepared to reveal fine structural details, this fossil is a striking example of ancient life from the Paleozoic seas, dating back over 450 million years.

Geological Context and Age

This specimen originates from the Ordovician System (approximately 485–443 million years ago), a period characterised by rapid diversification of marine life, often referred to as the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE). The Mecissi area, located in the Anti-Atlas region of Morocco, is well known for its richly fossiliferous sedimentary deposits. These strata were originally formed in shallow marine environments, where fine-grained sediments gently buried and preserved delicate organisms such as Graptolites, trilobites, and brachiopods.

The Graptolite-bearing layers of Mecissi are composed primarily of shale and fine siltstone, deposited in calm offshore environments under low-oxygen conditions. Such settings provided ideal conditions for the preservation of soft-bodied fossils. These fossils are valuable to paleontologists not only for their aesthetic appeal but also as precise biostratigraphic markers that help date and correlate Ordovician rock formations worldwide.

Fossil Type and Morphological Features

Graptolites are an extinct class of colonial marine animals belonging to the order Graptoloidea, within the phylum Hemichordata and the class Graptolithina. They are closely related to modern pterobranchs, small filter-feeding organisms that live in colonies attached to the sea floor or floating planktonically.

This specimen preserves the saw-tooth or dendritic branching pattern typical of the genus, with a finely detailed stipe structure showing numerous small thecae — the tiny cup-like chambers that once housed individual zooids (organisms within the colony). The fossil’s linear or gently curved form suggests it may represent a biserial or uniserial colony, depending on the branching arrangement visible in the slab. The preservation is excellent, with clear contrast between the dark carbonaceous fossil material and the lighter sedimentary matrix, enhancing its visual and scientific value.

Scientific and Collectible Importance

Graptolites are among the most important index fossils used in geological dating, particularly in Ordovician and Silurian biostratigraphy. They evolved rapidly and had wide geographic distribution, allowing geologists to identify specific zones, such as the Nemagraptus gracilis Zone and related assemblages, within the global stratigraphic record.

Specimens from Morocco’s Ordovician deposits are prized for their exceptional preservation and accessibility. The Mecissi locality has produced many fine examples that reveal both the delicate structure and evolutionary diversity of these colonial organisms. For collectors, Graptolites offer a direct link to the early Paleozoic oceans and represent one of the earliest complex marine life forms preserved in rock.

Authenticity and Presentation

All our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity confirming their provenance and geological age. Each piece is hand-selected for quality and detail, with careful preparation to reveal the fossil without over-polishing or artificial enhancement. The specimen’s natural contrast against its shale matrix highlights every fine structural element, creating a visually striking and scientifically significant display.

This Ordovician Graptolite from the Mecissi area, Morocco stands as both a beautiful decorative fossil and a tangible piece of Earth’s evolutionary history — a remarkable testament to the complexity and diversity of ancient marine ecosystems more than 450 million years ago.

Additional information

Era

Ordovician
Origin

Morocco

Ordovician Information

The Ordovician Period (485–443 million years ago) was a time of marine expansion and biodiversity growth, following the Cambrian Explosion. Warm, shallow seas covered much of the continents, supporting trilobites, brachiopods, corals, and the first true reefs. Jawless fish (early vertebrates) diversified, and the first sea scorpions (eurypterids) became dominant predators. On land, the first primitive plants (moss-like bryophytes) began colonizing damp environments. The climate was initially warm, but by the late Ordovician, a major ice age caused a drastic drop in sea levels, triggering the Ordovician-Silurian mass extinction, which wiped out nearly 85% of marine species. Despite this, the period laid the foundation for the rise of more complex ecosystems in the Silurian.

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