Polyplectus apenninicus Ammonite Fossil, Toarcian Jurassic Italy Marche Specimen | Gola di S. Venanzio Cingoli Fossil

Description

Genuine Polyplectus apenninicus Ammonite Fossil

This carefully selected fossil is a genuine Polyplectus apenninicus ammonite from Gola di S. Venanzio near Cingoli in the Marche region of Italy. It dates to the Toarcian stage of the Lower Jurassic. The photographs show the actual specimen that will be supplied, allowing you to examine its natural colour, preservation, shape, matrix and visible fossil detail. Please refer to the photographs for full sizing and scale.

Lower Jurassic Toarcian Age

The Toarcian formed the final age of the Early Jurassic, approximately 182 to 174 million years ago. During this interval, large areas of Europe were covered by warm seas connected to the developing Tethys Ocean. Marine sediments accumulated on continental shelves and in deeper basins, preserving ammonites, belemnites and other organisms. Changes in sea level, oxygenation and sediment supply produced varied rock successions that palaeontologists use to reconstruct a complex chapter of Jurassic environmental history.

Ammonites are especially valuable for dating marine strata. Their populations evolved rapidly, individual species existed for comparatively restricted intervals, and shells could be distributed across wide marine regions. By comparing ammonite assemblages, geologists can correlate rock layers between localities and divide the Jurassic into detailed biostratigraphic zones.

Polyplectus apenninicus

Polyplectus is an extinct ammonite genus within the order Ammonitida. Like other ammonites, it was a marine cephalopod related to living squid, octopus and nautilus. Its shell was coiled and internally divided into chambers. The animal lived in the outer body chamber, while earlier sealed chambers helped regulate buoyancy. Polyplectus apenninicus is associated with Toarcian deposits and forms part of the distinctive ammonite fauna known from Lower Jurassic rocks of the Apennine region.

Identification considers the overall shape and coiling of the shell, whorl proportions, umbilical width, ribbing and details of the outer margin. The preserved specimen may show original shell, mineral replacement, an impression or an internal mould created when sediment entered the shell before burial. Natural matrix, worn areas, fractures and small surface irregularities record the fossil’s long geological history and should be regarded as authentic features rather than manufactured defects.

Gola di S. Venanzio and Cingoli

The locality at Gola di S. Venanzio, near Cingoli in Marche, lies within the central Apennine geological region. Jurassic marine rocks exposed in this part of Italy preserve evidence of sedimentation along the margins and basins of the ancient Tethyan realm. Fossils from these strata allow comparisons between Italian successions and equivalent marine deposits elsewhere in Europe.

A specimen from this locality is therefore more than an attractive natural object. It represents a particular ancient marine environment and contributes to the story of how the Italian peninsula’s rocks were assembled, deformed and later exposed through the geological development of the Apennines.

Actual Specimen for Collection or Display

You will receive the exact fossil shown in the photographs. Its named species, Italian locality and Toarcian age make it suitable for an established ammonite collection, geological study, educational display, natural-history cabinet or a distinctive gift for a fossil enthusiast. The photographs are the definitive guide to this individual specimen’s condition and appearance.

Certificate of Authenticity

The fossil is supplied with a generic Certificate of Authenticity card carrying a lifetime guarantee of authenticity. Handle it carefully and avoid soaking, harsh cleaning chemicals, excessive humidity and sudden temperature changes. Use a secure support when displaying it so natural edges, matrix and any exposed shell detail are protected.