Description
Genuine Mantelliceras couloni Ammonite Fossil – Cenomanian, Normandy
This genuine fossil ammonite is identified as Mantelliceras couloni, a macroconch ammonite from the Cenomanian Stage of the Upper Cretaceous, collected from Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France. Dating to approximately 100–94 million years old, this specimen represents a marine cephalopod from a time when warm Cretaceous seas covered large parts of western Europe.
This fossil is a carefully chosen specimen, with the photograph showing the actual fossil you will receive. Full sizing can be seen in the photo. It is supplied as a genuine specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, making it a desirable piece for fossil collectors, ammonite enthusiasts, natural history displays, educational collections, and anyone interested in Cretaceous marine life.
Fossil Type and Species
Ammonites were extinct marine cephalopods related to modern squid, cuttlefish, octopus, and nautilus. They lived within coiled, chambered shells, with the living animal occupying the final body chamber while the earlier chambers helped with buoyancy control. Their rapid evolution and wide distribution make ammonites some of the most important fossils for dating and correlating Mesozoic rocks.
Mantelliceras couloni belongs to the order Ammonitida, family Acanthoceratidae, and superfamily Acanthoceratoidea. Acanthoceratid ammonites are especially associated with the Cretaceous Period and are known for their strongly ornamented shells, often showing ribs, nodes, and tubercles. Mantelliceras is a particularly important Cenomanian ammonite genus and is widely recognised in studies of early Upper Cretaceous stratigraphy.
The species couloni was originally described by Alcide d’Orbigny, one of the most important 19th-century palaeontologists in the study of French fossils. A named Mantelliceras specimen from Normandy carries strong scientific and collecting interest because it links the fossil to a recognised species, geological stage, and classic European Cretaceous region.
Macroconch Form and Shell Features
This specimen is described as a macroconch, meaning it represents the larger adult shell form within a dimorphic ammonite species or group. In ammonites, macroconchs are generally interpreted as the larger form, often paired with smaller microconchs in the same biological species. Macroconch specimens are especially appealing to collectors because of their size, display presence, and mature shell development.
Mantelliceras ammonites typically show a robust, coiled shell with strong ribbing across the whorls. Many examples display pronounced ribs and tubercles arranged around the shell, giving the fossil a bold, sculptural appearance. These features are characteristic of many acanthoceratid ammonites and help distinguish them from smoother or more compressed ammonite groups.
The shell form may be moderately evolute, with earlier whorls partly visible, and the ornamentation can change as the ammonite grew. The macroconch form makes this fossil particularly interesting as it represents a larger growth stage of the animal, offering a more developed example of Cenomanian ammonite morphology.
Cenomanian Age and Geological Importance
The Cenomanian is the earliest stage of the Upper Cretaceous Period and marks an important interval in ammonite evolution. During this time, sea levels were high globally, and warm marine environments extended across much of Europe. These conditions allowed ammonites such as Mantelliceras to spread widely through shallow epicontinental seas.
Mantelliceras species are important in Cenomanian biostratigraphy because their changing forms help geologists divide and correlate rock layers. Fossils from this stage can be associated with important ammonite zones used in Upper Cretaceous stratigraphy. This gives a named specimen such as Mantelliceras couloni additional value beyond its appearance, as it also represents a useful marker of geological time.
Seine-Maritime, Normandy Provenance
This ammonite comes from Seine-Maritime in Normandy, France, a region well known for Cretaceous marine deposits, chalk cliffs, and fossil-bearing strata. During the Cenomanian, this part of northern France was covered by a warm shallow sea connected to the wider European marine basin. Lime-rich sediments, shell debris, and marine mud accumulated on the sea floor, later forming fossil-bearing rock layers.
The ancient environment would have supported a diverse marine ecosystem, including ammonites, bivalves, echinoids, belemnites, fish, and marine reptiles. Ammonites such as Mantelliceras lived as active marine cephalopods within this ecosystem, moving through the water column and forming part of the Cretaceous food web. After death, the shell settled to the sea floor and was gradually buried, allowing it to become preserved over millions of years.
Collectable Upper Cretaceous Ammonite
This Mantelliceras couloni ammonite fossil is a desirable specimen for collectors because it combines a named species, macroconch form, French provenance, and Cenomanian Upper Cretaceous age. Its robust ornamentation and classic acanthoceratid character make it an attractive display fossil, while its geological information gives it strong educational and scientific appeal.
The fossil is suitable for display in a fossil cabinet, addition to a labelled ammonite collection, use in an educational geology setting, or as a natural history gift for anyone interested in prehistoric marine life. Named ammonites with clear age and locality details are especially valued because they provide more context than unidentified fossil specimens.
Authenticity and Presentation
This fossil is a genuine specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. The specimen has been carefully selected, and the photograph shows the actual fossil you will receive. Full sizing can be seen in the photo.
As a genuine Mantelliceras couloni macroconch ammonite from the Cenomanian of Seine-Maritime, Normandy, this fossil offers an attractive and scientifically interesting example of Upper Cretaceous marine life from one of France’s classic fossil-bearing regions.
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