Hemiaster angustipneustes Fossil Echinoid Upper Cretaceous Campanian France Genuine

Description

Rare Hemiaster angustipneustes Fossil Echinoid

This listing offers a genuine Hemiaster angustipneustes fossil echinoid from the Upper Cretaceous, Campanian Age, Senonian Epoch, found in the Charentes region of Western France. This is a carefully chosen specimen, shown in the photographs with a 1 cm scale cube for accurate sizing. You will receive the exact fossil pictured, and it will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, ensuring its scientific and collectible value.

Geological Setting

The Campanian stage of the Upper Cretaceous, dating to approximately 83.6 to 72.1 million years ago, represents one of the last great marine ecosystems before the end-Cretaceous extinction event. The Charentes area in France is famous for its fossil-rich marine deposits, which preserve an incredible variety of echinoids, molluscs, and other marine organisms. The limestone and chalk formations of this region provided the perfect environment for the preservation of delicate echinoids such as Hemiaster angustipneustes.

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Echinodermata
• Class: Echinoidea
• Order: Spatangoida
• Family: Hemiasteridae
• Genus: Hemiaster
• Species: Hemiaster angustipneustes

Morphological Features

Hemiaster angustipneustes is a heart urchin echinoid, belonging to the spatangoids. These echinoids are instantly recognisable by their distinctive heart-shaped test and features adapted for burrowing in soft marine sediments. Key morphological traits include:

• Flattened underside with a centrally placed peristome (mouth), adapted for deposit-feeding.
• Offset periproct (anus), situated towards the posterior margin, a characteristic feature of spatangoids.
• Petaloid ambulacra on the dorsal surface, with pore pairs aligned to support tube feet used in respiration.
• Symmetrical heart-shaped outline, with a well-defined anterior sulcus (groove) used for channeling organic particles to the mouth.

The preservation of this specimen highlights these features, making it both scientifically valuable and visually appealing.

Paleoecological Importance

As a burrowing deposit-feeder, Hemiaster angustipneustes lived just beneath the seafloor surface, processing sediment and recycling organic material. Fossils like this provide important information on the ecology of Cretaceous seas, showing how echinoids interacted with their environment. Their abundance in Campanian deposits also makes them useful for biostratigraphy, helping geologists date and correlate sedimentary layers across Europe.

Collectability and Rarity

While echinoid fossils are relatively common, well-preserved Campanian specimens of Hemiaster angustipneustes are highly sought after by collectors. The Charentes region is one of the key sources of these fossils, but the availability of quality specimens has decreased as many exposures have become restricted or lost to modern development. This makes each authentic find increasingly significant for both private collectors and academic study.

Guaranteed Authenticity

All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and are supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity. The specimen pictured is the exact one you will receive, ensuring transparency and confidence in your purchase. This Hemiaster angustipneustes echinoid from the Campanian Age of France is not only a striking display fossil but also a scientifically important piece of Earth’s deep history.