Description
GENUINE MANTELLICERAS CANTIANUM AMMONITE FOSSIL
This listing is for a genuine Mantelliceras cantianum ammonite fossil from the Lower Cenomanian of Ringstead Bay, Dorset, UK. This is a carefully chosen fossil specimen, with the listing photo showing the actual fossil you will receive. It is an excellent piece for collectors of British fossils, Cretaceous ammonites, Dorset fossils, Ringstead Bay fossils, marine fossils, natural history specimens, and classic UK palaeontology.
This fossil is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, confirming that it is a genuine natural fossil specimen. Full sizing can be seen in the photo.
SPECIES AND FOSSIL TYPE
Mantelliceras cantianum is an ammonite, part of the extinct ammonoid cephalopods that lived in ancient marine environments during the Cretaceous Period. Ammonites were related to modern squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus, and lived inside chambered shells that helped regulate buoyancy in the water. The living animal occupied the final body chamber, while the earlier chambers acted as a natural floatation system.
Mantelliceras is one of the classic ammonite genera of the Lower Cenomanian. These ammonites are especially valued for their strong ribbed shell form, attractive Cretaceous appearance, and importance in recognising early Cenomanian marine deposits. A named Mantelliceras fossil from Dorset is a desirable addition to any collection focused on British ammonites, chalk fossils, Cretaceous marine life, or scientifically interesting fossil cephalopods.
LOWER CENOMANIAN GEOLOGICAL AGE
This specimen dates from the Lower Cenomanian, the earliest part of the Cenomanian Stage of the Late Cretaceous. During this time, sea levels were rising across Europe and large areas of southern Britain were covered by warm, shallow marine waters. These seas supported a diverse ecosystem including ammonites, bivalves, gastropods, echinoids, sponges, fish, crustaceans, marine reptiles, and planktonic organisms.
The Lower Cenomanian is an important interval in British geology because it records the transition into the widespread chalk seas that later dominated southern England. Ammonites from this stage are particularly useful in biostratigraphy because they evolved rapidly and can help geologists compare and date marine rock layers. Mantelliceras is closely associated with this early Cenomanian record, making this fossil both collectable and geologically meaningful.
RINGSTEAD BAY, DORSET LOCALITY
Ringstead Bay in Dorset is part of the wider Jurassic Coast region, one of the most famous fossil-bearing coastlines in the UK. Although the Jurassic Coast is often associated with Jurassic fossils, the area also preserves important Cretaceous marine deposits. Fossils from Ringstead Bay are sought after because they come from a historic and highly collectable coastal locality with a strong geological heritage.
The rocks around Ringstead Bay record ancient marine conditions from a time when southern England lay beneath the sea. Fossils from this locality provide evidence of the changing environments that affected the region during the Cretaceous, including rising sea levels, marine sedimentation, and the development of carbonate-rich conditions. A genuine Mantelliceras cantianum ammonite from this setting is a fine locality specimen for a British fossil collection.
MORPHOLOGY AND COLLECTABLE FEATURES
Mantelliceras cantianum is appreciated for its classic ammonite shape and distinctive shell ornamentation. Mantelliceras ammonites typically display coiled whorls with strong ribs that may vary in prominence across the shell. These ribs are important for shell strength and are also key features used in ammonite identification. Depending on preservation, specimens may show ribbing, whorl curvature, growth features, natural shell texture, or partial chamber detail.
The shell of an ammonite was divided into internal chambers by walls known as septa. These chambers helped control buoyancy, allowing the animal to move through the water column. The outer shell ornament, including ribs and growth lines, recorded the animal’s development and gives fossil ammonites their highly collectable appearance. This specimen is ideal for display, study, or comparison within a wider ammonite collection.
CRETACEOUS MARINE ENVIRONMENT
When this ammonite was alive, the Dorset area was part of a warm Cretaceous sea rather than dry land. Fine sediment accumulated on the seabed while ammonites and other marine animals lived in the surrounding waters. The environment supported a rich food web, with plankton forming the base of the ecosystem and larger animals such as fish, marine reptiles, and cephalopods occupying higher levels.
Mantelliceras cantianum would have lived as an active marine cephalopod, using its chambered shell for buoyancy control while moving through the sea. Its fossilised shell is a direct connection to the prehistoric marine world of the Lower Cenomanian and helps show the remarkable diversity of ammonites that thrived before their extinction at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
AUTHENTICITY AND DISPLAY
This Mantelliceras cantianum ammonite fossil is a genuine specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. The listing photo shows the actual fossil you will receive, so you can buy with confidence knowing the specimen pictured is the one supplied.
This fossil would make an excellent addition to a fossil cabinet, geology collection, natural history display, educational set, or specialist ammonite collection. It is also a thoughtful gift for fossil collectors, palaeontology enthusiasts, students, teachers, or anyone interested in British fossils, Dorset geology, Cretaceous ammonites, and prehistoric marine life.
PRODUCT DETAILS
Fossil: Ammonite
Species: Mantelliceras cantianum
Age: Lower Cenomanian, Late Cretaceous
Location: Ringstead Bay, Dorset, UK
Specimen: Genuine fossil ammonite
Certificate: Includes Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card
Sizing: Please see photo for full sizing
Photo: Shows the actual specimen you will receive
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