Description
Genuine Oraniceras wurtembergica Ammonite Fossil
This carefully chosen fossil is a genuine Oraniceras wurtembergica ammonite from Sengenthal in Bavaria, Germany. Dating from the Bathonian Stage of the Middle Jurassic, it represents an extinct marine cephalopod that inhabited the ancient seas of Europe more than 165 million years ago.
The specimen combines an identifiable ammonite species with a documented German locality and Middle Jurassic geological age, making it an appealing addition to a fossil collection, educational display or natural-history cabinet.
The photograph shows the actual fossil specimen you will receive. Its individual coiling, ribbing, preservation, colour, matrix and natural geological characteristics can therefore be examined before purchasing. Full sizing and proportions are shown in the accompanying photograph.
This authentic fossil includes a generic Certificate of Authenticity card with a lifetime guarantee.
Fossil Classification and Geological Details
Scientific name: Oraniceras wurtembergica
Fossil type: Ammonite
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Cephalopoda
Subclass: Ammonoidea
Order: Ammonitida
Geological period: Jurassic
Epoch: Middle Jurassic
Stage: Bathonian
Locality: Sengenthal, Bavaria, Germany
Oraniceras is a genus of Middle Jurassic ammonites known from marine sedimentary deposits of Bathonian age. Ammonites from this interval are scientifically valuable because their shell forms changed through time, allowing palaeontologists to compare fossil-bearing layers and reconstruct the sequence of Jurassic marine environments.
The specific name wurtembergica refers to Württemberg in southern Germany, reflecting the species’ association with the fossil-rich Jurassic rocks of the region.
Oraniceras Shell Morphology
Oraniceras wurtembergica possessed the characteristic chambered and planispirally coiled shell of an ammonite. The whorls grew around a central umbilicus, with each successive stage recording part of the animal’s development.
The shell is typically ornamented with ribs extending across the flanks. These ribs may vary in strength and spacing as the ammonite grew, creating a sculptured surface that helped reinforce the shell. Depending on the preservation and growth stage, the specimen may show portions of the inner whorls, umbilical region, outer body chamber and ventral margin.
The outer edge of an ammonite shell is known as the venter. Its form, together with the whorl proportions, ribbing pattern and degree of overlap between successive whorls, provides important characteristics used when distinguishing related ammonite genera and species.
Every fossil preserves a different amount of its original morphology. Natural fractures, incomplete sections, attached matrix, mineral replacement, surface wear and differences in colour are genuine geological characteristics rather than manufacturing defects.
Bathonian Stage of the Middle Jurassic
The Bathonian is one of the four principal stages of the Middle Jurassic and is preceded by the Bajocian and followed by the Callovian. It represents a substantial interval of Jurassic history during which shallow seas covered large areas of Europe.
Ammonites are among the most important fossils used to divide Bathonian rocks into smaller biozones. Their rapid evolution and broad geographical distribution make them especially useful for correlating strata between Germany, France, Britain and other parts of Europe.
The presence of Oraniceras wurtembergica connects this specimen with a distinctive Middle Jurassic ammonite fauna. Fossils of this age provide evidence of changing sea levels, marine connections and evolutionary developments among cephalopods during the Bathonian.
Jurassic Geology of Sengenthal, Bavaria
Sengenthal lies in Bavaria, a region renowned for its Jurassic sedimentary rocks and diverse marine fossils. During the Middle Jurassic, southern Germany formed part of a broad marine basin situated along the margins of the ancient Tethys Ocean.
Sediment accumulated on the seabed as layers of clay, marl, limestone and iron-rich material. Variations in water depth, oxygen levels, currents and sediment supply created different depositional environments through time.
The sea supported a varied community of ammonites, belemnites, bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods and other marine invertebrates. Their shells and skeletal remains were incorporated into the sediment and, under favourable conditions, preserved as fossils.
Bavaria is particularly celebrated for its Jurassic palaeontology, although many localities are more widely known for younger Upper Jurassic limestones. Middle Jurassic sites such as Sengenthal preserve an earlier chapter in the region’s geological history and provide valuable evidence of the ammonite faunas that inhabited European seas before the deposition of the famous Late Jurassic rocks.
Life of a Middle Jurassic Ammonite
Ammonites were marine molluscs related to modern squid, cuttlefish, octopuses and nautiluses. The living animal occupied the final and largest portion of its shell, called the body chamber.
The inner shell was divided by curved walls known as septa into a series of chambers. A narrow tube called the siphuncle connected these chambers and helped the animal regulate the proportions of liquid and gas within them. This provided buoyancy control and allowed the ammonite to maintain its position in the water column.
Movement was achieved through jet propulsion. Water was drawn into the mantle cavity and expelled through a muscular funnel, pushing the animal in the opposite direction. Tentacles surrounding the mouth were probably used to capture small prey, collect food and explore the surrounding marine environment.
As the ammonite grew, it added new shell material around the aperture. New chambers were formed behind the living chamber, producing the coiled structure preserved in the fossil record.
Natural Fossilisation and Preservation
After death, the ammonite shell settled onto the Bathonian seabed. The soft tissues decayed, while sediment gradually accumulated around and inside the shell.
Continued burial protected the remains from complete destruction. Over millions of years, pressure compacted the sediment and mineral-rich groundwater altered the original shell. The aragonitic shell material could recrystallise, dissolve or be replaced by other minerals.
Sediment entering the empty shell could harden into an internal mould that retained the ammonite’s overall shape and ornamentation. External impressions may also preserve details of the ribs and shell surface where the original material has disappeared.
Natural cracks, weathered areas, matrix attachments, mineral staining and incomplete sections are normal features of genuine fossils. Each reflects the specimen’s individual history of burial, mineralisation, geological movement and eventual exposure.
Authentic German Jurassic Collectable
This Oraniceras wurtembergica ammonite is suitable for fossil collectors, ammonite enthusiasts, geology students and educational natural-history displays. Its named species, Bathonian age and Sengenthal provenance give it strong scientific, historical and decorative appeal.
The specimen can be displayed in a fossil cabinet, classroom, office, study or private collection. It also makes a distinctive gift for anyone interested in palaeontology, prehistoric marine life, German fossils or the Jurassic Period.
The photograph shows the exact carefully chosen fossil specimen you will receive. Full sizing is provided in the photo. A generic Certificate of Authenticity card with a lifetime guarantee is included.
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