Lissoceras psilodiscus Ammonite Fossil Bivalve Horn Park Dorset COA

Description

Lissoceras psilodiscus Ammonite with Bivalve from Horn Park Quarry, Dorset

This genuine Lissoceras psilodiscus ammonite fossil with associated bivalve comes from the Inferior Oolite Group at Horn Park Quarry, Beaminster, Dorset, UK. It dates to the Lower Bajocian Stage of the Middle Jurassic, specifically the Laeviuscula Zone. This carefully chosen fossil specimen is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. Full sizing can be seen in the photo, and the image shows the actual fossil specimen you will receive.

This is an excellent British Jurassic fossil association, combining a named ammonite species with a bivalve in the same specimen. Fossils from Horn Park Quarry are highly collectable because the locality is well known for Middle Jurassic ammonites, fossil molluscs and scientifically important Inferior Oolite marine deposits.

Species and Scientific Interest

Lissoceras psilodiscus is an extinct ammonite species belonging to the ammonoid cephalopods, a group of marine molluscs related to modern squid, cuttlefish and nautilus. Ammonites lived in ancient seas and produced coiled, chambered shells. The animal occupied the outer body chamber, while the internal chambers helped control buoyancy in the water column.

Lissoceras is generally associated with the family Lissoceratidae and is known for its relatively smooth, compressed and elegant shell form compared with more heavily ribbed Jurassic ammonites. The genus name reflects this smoother shell character, making Lissoceras visually distinctive among many Middle Jurassic ammonite faunas. Lissoceras psilodiscus is particularly appealing to collectors because its understated shell shape contrasts well with the more strongly ornamented ammonites often found in Bajocian deposits.

The associated bivalve adds further palaeontological interest. Bivalves were shelled marine molluscs that lived on or within the sea floor. Their presence alongside the ammonite helps illustrate the diversity of the ancient Jurassic marine environment preserved at Horn Park Quarry.

Inferior Oolite Group and Lower Bajocian Geology

This fossil comes from the Inferior Oolite Group, one of the classic fossil-bearing Jurassic rock units of southern England. The Inferior Oolite was deposited in warm, shallow marine conditions during the Middle Jurassic. Its sediments include limestones, oolitic beds, marls, sands and shelly layers, preserving a rich record of marine life.

The specimen dates to the Lower Bajocian, approximately 170 million years old, and is associated with the Laeviuscula Zone. Ammonite zones such as the Laeviuscula Zone are important in geology because they allow palaeontologists to date and correlate rock layers using distinctive ammonite faunas. This gives the fossil strong scientific value as well as display appeal.

During the Bajocian, southern Britain was covered by shallow seas that supported ammonites, belemnites, bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods, echinoids, corals and other marine organisms. Fine sediment and carbonate-rich material accumulated across the sea floor, eventually preserving the shells and remains of these animals as fossils.

Locality: Horn Park Quarry, Beaminster, Dorset

Horn Park Quarry near Beaminster in Dorset is a classic Middle Jurassic fossil locality, especially known for ammonites from the Inferior Oolite Group. Specimens from this locality are valued because they carry strong British provenance and are linked with well-studied Bajocian fossil beds.

Dorset is internationally recognised for its Jurassic fossil heritage, and Horn Park Quarry represents an important inland locality within that wider geological story. A labelled fossil from Horn Park Quarry is ideal for collectors building a display of British ammonites, Dorset fossils, Inferior Oolite specimens or educational geology material.

Morphology and Display Features

Lissoceras psilodiscus typically displays a neatly coiled planispiral shell with a smoother appearance than many ribbed ammonites. Depending on preservation, the fossil may show whorl detail, growth features, subtle shell texture, natural matrix and gentle surface variation. The bivalve association provides an additional fossil form, adding interest and context to the specimen.

Natural colours may include cream, beige, grey, brown or iron-rich tones, influenced by the sediment and mineral conditions during fossilisation. Variations in matrix, surface preservation, fossil detail and colour are part of the specimen’s authentic geological character. As the photo shows the actual fossil you will receive, this is an individual specimen rather than a generic stock example.

Authenticity and Collector Appeal

This Lissoceras psilodiscus ammonite with bivalve is a genuine Lower Bajocian Middle Jurassic fossil from the Inferior Oolite Group at Horn Park Quarry, Beaminster, Dorset, UK. It includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, giving confidence to fossil collectors, geology enthusiasts, students and gift buyers.

With its named ammonite species, associated bivalve, Laeviuscula Zone provenance, classic Dorset locality and attractive natural presentation, this fossil would make an excellent addition to a Jurassic fossil collection, British ammonite display, Inferior Oolite fossil suite, educational geology cabinet or natural history collection.