Pleurotomaria Cauta Gastropod Fossil Cretaceous Devon UK Genuine Specimen with COA Collector Display

Description

PLEUROTOMARIA CF. CAUTA FOSSIL GASTROPOD

This genuine fossil gastropod is identified as Pleurotomaria cf. cauta and comes from Beer in Devon, England. It was preserved in the Beer Head Limestone Formation and dates to the Lower Cenomanian stage of the Upper Cretaceous, approximately 96 to 100 million years ago. The photographs show the exact carefully selected fossil that you will receive.

CRETACEOUS GEOLOGY AND BEER HEAD LIMESTONE

During the Cenomanian, sea levels were high and warm marine waters covered much of southern Britain. Carbonate mud and the remains of marine organisms accumulated on the seabed, eventually becoming the limestone exposed around Beer Head. These rocks preserve evidence of a diverse marine ecosystem that included molluscs, echinoids, brachiopods and other invertebrates.

Beer and the surrounding East Devon coast are renowned for striking Cretaceous cliffs and important fossil-bearing strata. A specimen from the Beer Head Limestone Formation carries a precise geological context, making it valuable for collectors interested in British palaeontology and regional stratigraphy.

FOSSIL TYPE AND SHELL MORPHOLOGY

Pleurotomaria is a long-ranging genus of marine gastropod characterised by a coiled shell and a distinctive slit or notch associated with the shell opening. This feature helped channel water away from the animal’s gills. The shells are commonly conical to trochiform, with successive whorls forming a strong spiral profile. Fine growth lines and spiral ornament may remain visible where preservation permits.

Gastropods are molluscs and include modern snails and their relatives. The living animal occupied the final opening of the shell and moved across the sea floor. After death, its shell could be buried by carbonate sediment. Over millions of years, mineral-rich water altered or replaced the original shell material, preserving its shape within the limestone.

The designation cf. cauta indicates that the specimen compares closely with that species while retaining appropriate caution in identification. Its natural coil, whorls, matrix and surface texture provide a tangible record of an ancient Cretaceous animal. Every fossil is individual, and variations in colour, mineralisation, attached rock, surface preservation and edge condition are genuine geological features.

Please inspect all photographs carefully because they show the exact specimen supplied. Full dimensions are provided in the measurement image so its size and display proportions can be assessed accurately before purchase.

COLLECTING AND DISPLAY VALUE

This Devon gastropod is an appealing addition to a collection focused on fossil molluscs, Cretaceous marine life, British geology or classic coastal localities. Its Lower Cenomanian age and Beer Head Limestone provenance make it suitable for an organised study cabinet. It can also serve as an educational example of gastropod shell growth, fossilisation and ancient shallow-marine environments.

The fossil’s spiral form makes it attractive for display alone or alongside ammonites, bivalves and echinoids from the same period. It is equally suitable as a distinctive natural-history gift.

GENUINE SPECIMEN WITH CERTIFICATE

This is an authentic fossil, not a replica or cast. The exact piece pictured is supplied and will be carefully packed to protect its natural features. It includes a generic Certificate of Authenticity card backed by our lifetime authenticity guarantee.