Description
Genuine Metoiceras geslinianum Ammonite Fossil
This genuine Metoiceras geslinianum ammonite fossil comes from the Upper Cenomanian of Glynde, East Sussex, UK. It is a carefully selected Cretaceous marine fossil specimen from the chalk deposits of southern England, representing one of the classic ammonite species associated with the later part of the Cenomanian Stage. Ammonites are extinct marine cephalopods related to modern squids, octopuses and nautiluses, and they are among the most important fossil groups for dating and correlating Mesozoic rocks.
This fossil is a genuine specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. Full sizing can be seen in the photo. The fossil shown is the actual specimen you will receive, making it ideal for collectors who prefer individual, accurately represented fossils rather than generic stock examples.
Upper Cenomanian Cretaceous Geology
The Cenomanian is the earliest stage of the Late Cretaceous Epoch, dating to approximately 100.5 to 93.9 million years ago. During this time, much of southern Britain was covered by a warm, shallow epicontinental sea. Fine carbonate mud accumulated on the sea floor, eventually forming the famous chalk successions of southern England. These chalk seas supported a diverse marine ecosystem including ammonites, inoceramid bivalves, echinoids, belemnites, sponges, fish and marine reptiles.
Glynde, East Sussex, lies within an area known for Cretaceous chalk exposures and fossiliferous marine deposits. Fossils from this region are highly collectable because they represent the ancient chalk sea that once covered much of the UK. The pale limestone and chalk matrix associated with these fossils reflects deposition in a relatively open marine setting, where carbonate-rich sediment settled slowly through clear, warm seawater.
Metoiceras geslinianum Species Detail
Metoiceras geslinianum is an ammonite species of particular biostratigraphic importance in the Upper Cenomanian. It is closely associated with the Metoiceras geslinianum Zone, a recognised ammonite biozone used in parts of Europe to identify and correlate beds near the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary interval. This makes the species especially interesting to collectors who value fossils with strong geological and dating significance.
The species was originally described as Ammonites geslinianus by Alcide d’Orbigny, the influential French palaeontologist known for his major work on fossil molluscs and stratigraphy. Metoiceras belongs within the order Ammonitida and is generally placed among the acanthoceratid ammonites, a group of Late Cretaceous ammonites often recognised by their ribbing, compressed to moderately inflated whorl sections and ornamented shell forms.
Ammonite Fossil Morphology
Metoiceras ammonites typically display a coiled, chambered shell with external ornament that may include ribs and tubercles depending on preservation and growth stage. As with other ammonites, the living animal occupied the final body chamber, while the earlier chambers helped regulate buoyancy. The shell’s complex internal suture lines, formed where chamber walls met the outer shell, are one of the defining features of ammonites and an important characteristic used in scientific classification.
In fossil specimens, preservation can vary depending on chalk conditions, compaction and weathering. Examples may show the natural whorl shape, ribbing, partial shell detail or internal mould features. These natural characteristics add to the individuality of each specimen and reflect its long geological history within the Cretaceous marine sediments of East Sussex.
Cretaceous Marine Environment
This ammonite lived in a warm Cretaceous sea at a time of high global sea levels. Metoiceras geslinianum would have been part of a wider marine food web, alongside fish, bivalves, echinoids and other ammonite species. Ammonites were active marine predators or scavengers, using their tentacles to capture food while moving through the water column with jet propulsion.
The chalk-forming environment preserved the remains of countless microscopic calcareous organisms, mixed with larger fossils from the open sea. A specimen such as this is therefore more than a decorative fossil; it is a physical record of an ancient ocean ecosystem that existed in what is now southern England.
Collectable British Ammonite from Glynde
This Metoiceras geslinianum ammonite fossil is an excellent addition to any collection of British fossils, Cretaceous ammonites, chalk fossils or scientifically important marine invertebrates. Its Upper Cenomanian age, East Sussex locality and association with a recognised ammonite biozone make it particularly appealing for collectors interested in fossil stratigraphy and classic UK geology.
Supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, this genuine Metoiceras geslinianum ammonite from Glynde, East Sussex, UK, offers a highly collectable piece of Late Cretaceous marine history from the chalk seas of southern Britain.
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