Oecotraustes genicularis Ammonite Fossil Jurassic Dorset UK with COA

Description

This listing is for the exact genuine ammonite fossil shown in the photographs: a specimen of Oecotraustes genicularis from the Inferior Oolite at Frogden, Dorset, United Kingdom. It dates from the Bajocian stage of the Middle Jurassic Period and is supplied with our lifetime Certificate of Authenticity. The certificate records its identification, geological unit, age and locality, providing a lasting reference for your collection.

Oecotraustes genicularis is a distinctive Jurassic ammonite. Ammonites were extinct marine cephalopod molluscs related to living squid, cuttlefish and nautiluses. Their shells were divided internally into chambers. The animal occupied the final body chamber, while the earlier chambers helped regulate buoyancy. Shell shape, coiling, ribbing and the intricate sutures between chambers provide important features for identification and for comparing fossils from different rock layers.

The Inferior Oolite is a celebrated fossil-bearing unit of southern England. Despite its traditional name, it is not a poor-quality deposit; inferior simply reflects its position beneath the Great Oolite in the geological succession. The formation contains limestones, iron-rich beds and oolitic horizons that accumulated in warm, shallow marine settings. Ooids formed as carbonate coated small grains while they moved in agitated water. Ammonites and other marine organisms became buried within these sediments and were preserved as part of the Jurassic rock record.

Frogden in Dorset is a classic locality associated with the Inferior Oolite. Its fossils record a diverse Middle Jurassic sea inhabited by ammonites, bivalves, brachiopods, echinoids and other invertebrates. A specimen with this recorded locality carries useful geological context and represents a tangible piece of Dorset’s internationally important Jurassic heritage.

The Bajocian Stage spans approximately 170.3 to 168.3 million years ago. During this interval, southern Britain lay beneath warm shelf seas. Ammonite lineages evolved rapidly and many species were distributed across broad marine regions. Palaeontologists therefore use them as index fossils to correlate and date sedimentary rock layers. An identified specimen with a formation, stage and locality is more than a decorative object: it is direct evidence of biological evolution and an ancient marine environment.

Please inspect every photograph carefully because the images form an essential part of the description. You will receive the exact fossil pictured, not a stock example or a similar substitute. Natural matrix, surface texture, colour variation, incomplete shell areas, mineral deposits and small imperfections are normal characteristics of an authentic fossil and are shown honestly. For full sizing and proportions, please use the measuring reference visible in the photographs.

This Oecotraustes genicularis would suit a collector of British ammonites, Inferior Oolite fossils, Bajocian cephalopods or Middle Jurassic life. It is also an effective educational specimen for explaining ammonite biology, fossil preservation and marine geology. It would make a thoughtful gift for a fossil collector, geology student or natural history enthusiast.

The specimen will be packed carefully for dispatch. Handle it gently and keep it in a stable, dry display environment. The included generic lifetime Certificate of Authenticity identifies it as Oecotraustes genicularis, records the Inferior Oolite and Bajocian age, and gives Frogden, Dorset, UK as the locality. This is a genuine natural fossil with scientific, historic and display interest.