Pleydellia aalensis Ammonite Fossil Aalenian Jurassic Hérault France Rare Sample | Occitanie Genuine Collector Specimen

Description

Genuine Pleydellia aalensis Ammonite Fossil

This carefully selected fossil is a genuine Pleydellia aalensis ammonite from Hérault in Occitanie, France. It is recorded as Aalenian in age, at the beginning of the Middle Jurassic. The photographs show the actual specimen you will receive, allowing its natural form, preservation, colour, matrix and visible fossil detail to be examined before purchase. Please refer to the photographs for full sizing and scale.

Aalenian Middle Jurassic Geology

The Aalenian Age lasted from approximately 174 to 170 million years ago and marks the opening stage of the Middle Jurassic. During this interval, southern France lay close to warm marine waters connected with the western Tethys Ocean. Mud, carbonate-rich sediment and other material accumulated in basins and on marine shelves, preserving ammonites, belemnites, bivalves and many other organisms.

Ammonites are especially useful for dating Jurassic marine strata. Their lineages evolved rapidly, individual species frequently had limited geological ranges and shells could spread across broad marine regions. Palaeontologists compare characteristic ammonite assemblages to recognise biozones, correlate outcrops and refine the relative ages of rock layers.

Pleydellia aalensis

Pleydellia is an extinct ammonite genus within the order Ammonitida. Ammonites were marine cephalopods related to living squid, octopus and nautilus. Their coiled shells were internally divided into chambers. The animal occupied the outer body chamber, while sealed earlier chambers helped regulate buoyancy.

Pleydellia aalensis is historically important around the transition from the latest Toarcian to the Aalenian. The species name reflects Aalen, the German locality that gave its name to the Aalenian Stage. Identification considers shell coiling, whorl proportions, umbilical width, ribbing and the form of the outer margin. Its occurrence provides valuable context for the boundary between the Early and Middle Jurassic.

Fossil preservation varies naturally. A specimen may retain original shell material, mineral replacement, an external impression or an internal mould formed when sediment entered the shell before burial. Matrix, worn areas, fractures and irregular edges record fossilisation, compaction and later exposure. These are authentic geological features rather than manufactured defects.

Hérault and Occitanie

Hérault lies in southern France within the Occitanie region, an area with extensive sedimentary rocks and a complex relationship to the Pyrenees, Massif Central and Mediterranean basin. Jurassic deposits preserve evidence of marine environments along the former margins of the Tethys Ocean. Ammonites from Hérault help link southern French successions with equivalent rocks elsewhere in Europe.

A Pleydellia specimen from this region represents an extinct cephalopod that lived in a Jurassic sea more than 170 million years ago. After death, burial on the seabed protected part of the shell long enough for mineralisation and fossilisation. Later geological movement and erosion exposed the rock containing this record of ancient marine life.

Actual Specimen for Collection or Display

You will receive the exact fossil shown in the photographs. Its named species, Aalenian age and Hérault provenance make it suitable for a specialist ammonite collection, geological study, educational display, natural-history cabinet or a distinctive French fossil gift. The photographs are the definitive guide to this individual specimen’s preservation and appearance.

Certificate of Authenticity

The fossil includes a generic Certificate of Authenticity card carrying a lifetime guarantee of authenticity. Handle it carefully and avoid soaking, harsh cleaning products, excessive humidity and sudden temperature changes. Display it on a stable support so natural edges, matrix and any exposed shell ornament remain protected.