Description
Genuine Nannolytoceras tripartitum Ammonite Fossil
This genuine ammonite fossil is identified as Nannolytoceras tripartitum and comes from Barrême in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France. It dates to the Barremian stage of the Lower Cretaceous. The photographs show the actual carefully chosen fossil offered for sale, so the ammonite pictured is the exact specimen you will receive.
Barremian Lower Cretaceous Age
The Barremian is an Early Cretaceous stage dating to approximately 129 to 125 million years ago. Barrême is historically important because the stage name was derived from this French locality. During the Barremian, southeastern France lay within the marine realm of the ancient Tethys Ocean, where warm waters supported ammonites, belemnites, bivalves, gastropods, echinoids, and numerous other organisms.
After death, an ammonite shell could settle onto the seabed and become buried by fine marine sediment. Compaction, mineral replacement, and lithification preserved the shell or its internal mould. Later Alpine uplift, folding, erosion, and weathering raised these marine deposits above sea level and exposed their fossils in the mountains of Provence.
Nannolytoceras tripartitum
Nannolytoceras was an extinct marine cephalopod with a planispirally coiled, chambered shell. The living animal occupied the final body chamber, while earlier sealed chambers helped regulate buoyancy. Ammonites were relatives of modern squid, cuttlefish, and nautiluses, although they formed their own highly diverse and now extinct group.
Lytoceratid ammonites are often recognised by evolute coiling, with earlier whorls remaining visible, and by fine growth lines or ribbing that may cross the shell. Fossil specialists compare whorl shape, umbilical width, rib pattern, constrictions, and the form of the outer edge when distinguishing genera and species. Examine the photographs for the open coil, whorl profile, umbilical area, ornament, natural matrix, and individual preservation visible on this Nannolytoceras tripartitum specimen.
Ammonites and Geological Dating
Ammonites evolved rapidly and were widely distributed through Mesozoic seas. Their changing shell forms make them valuable index fossils, enabling geologists to compare marine rock sequences and determine relative ages. Barremian ammonite faunas from southeastern France have long been central to the definition and correlation of Lower Cretaceous strata around the Tethyan region.
A specimen identified to species and linked to the type region of the Barremian carries especially valuable historical and geological context. It can be compared with related ammonites to illustrate evolutionary succession, geographical distribution, and diversity within Early Cretaceous marine communities.
Tethyan Marine Environment
During the Barremian, carbonate mud, marl, and fine sediment accumulated in offshore settings around the Tethys Ocean. Water depth, currents, oxygenation, biological productivity, and sediment supply influenced both the living community and the conditions under which shells were preserved.
The chambered shell illustrates adaptation in a free-swimming cephalopod. Its construction combined strength with buoyancy control, while the evolute form and fine ornament reflect a distinctive growth pattern. Each fossil preserves a unique balance of shell material, mineral replacement, internal mould, surrounding sediment, and later geological alteration.
Barrême Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Provenance
Barrême lies in southeastern France within a region celebrated for richly fossiliferous Lower Cretaceous marine rocks. The locality gave its name to the Barremian stage and remains significant in the history of Cretaceous stratigraphy. A documented Barrême provenance therefore adds scientific, geographical, educational, and historical value to this ammonite.
This specimen can complement a collection arranged by French locality, geological stage, ammonite genus, fossil group, or ancient marine environment. Its Provençal origin also demonstrates the remarkable transformation of former Tethyan seabed deposits into the uplifted landscapes associated with Alpine mountain building.
Natural Fossil Character
Natural colour, mineral texture, small breaks, areas of wear, and variations in preservation are expected features of an authentic fossil rather than manufacturing defects. They reflect burial, mineralisation, rock formation, tectonic uplift, and weathering over immense geological time. No two ammonites preserve exactly the same combination of detail.
The multiple photographs show this exact Nannolytoceras tripartitum specimen from useful angles. They allow close inspection of its condition, coiling, ornament, matrix, proportions, and display qualities. Full sizing is shown in the photographs, which provide the clearest scale information for this individual fossil. The images are not stock photographs and do not represent a similar item.
Certificate of Authenticity
This genuine fossil includes a generic Certificate of Authenticity card with a lifetime guarantee. Its Barremian age, detailed ammonite identity, and historically important Barrême provenance make it an appealing addition to a fossil cabinet, study collection, office display, or educational setting. It is also a thoughtful gift for anyone interested in French fossils, Lower Cretaceous geology, ammonite evolution, Alpine geology, palaeontology, or authentic natural history specimens.
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