Description
This listing features a RARE and superb 7″ fossil ammonite of Mammites nodosoides from the Turonian Stage of the Upper Cretaceous, discovered in the Penly / Biville-sur-Mer area, Normandy, France. This stunning ammonite specimen comes from one of the classic Late Cretaceous fossil localities of northern France.
As with all our items, this is a 100% genuine fossil, hand-selected for its scientific and aesthetic value. It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, and you will receive the exact specimen shown in the listing photos. Please refer to the scale image (1cm per square or cube) for full sizing.
Fossil Overview:
- Species: Mammites nodosoides
- Common Name: Fossil Ammonite
- Geological Period: Cretaceous
- Stage: Turonian (~93.9 to 89.8 million years ago)
- Formation: Upper Chalk or associated marls of the Paris Basin
- Location: Penly / Biville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France
- Preservation: 3D fossil ammonite with tubercles and whorl detail intact
Geological & Depositional Environment:
During the Turonian, northern France was submerged beneath a warm epicontinental sea, rich in plankton and marine life. These chalk and marl sequences accumulated in a low-energy offshore environment, ideal for the preservation of ammonites and other marine organisms.
The area around Penly and Biville-sur-Mer is particularly rich in Turonian ammonites, including representatives of the genera Mammites, Collignoniceras, and Fagesia. These localities are well-documented in European ammonite stratigraphy.
Stratigraphy & Taxonomy:
- Phylum: Mollusca
- Class: Cephalopoda
- Subclass: Ammonoidea
- Order: Ammonitida
- Superfamily: Acanthoceratoidea
- Family: Acanthoceratidae
- Genus: Mammites
- Species: nodosoides
Originally described by Schlotheim in 1813, Mammites nodosoides is a key zonal ammonite used in Turonian biozonation, particularly in Europe and North Africa.
Morphological Features:
- Strongly ornamented with rounded to nodose tubercles (nodes) on the flanks and venter
- Whorls are broad and moderately inflated
- Suture lines are complex, often visible in well-preserved specimens
- Coiling is evolute with exposed inner whorls
These characteristics indicate a nektonic carnivorous lifestyle, with Mammites actively swimming in the open sea and feeding on small marine prey.
Notable Points:
- A stratigraphically important ammonite used in Turonian zonation
- Beautiful preservation with full 3D structure and nodosity
- From a historically rich fossil locality in France
- Highly collectible for both scientific and aesthetic reasons
Why Buy From Us?
- All specimens are 100% authentic fossils
- Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity
- You receive the exact fossil shown in the photos
- Carefully packed and promptly dispatched
This is a striking example of Mammites nodosoides, an iconic Turonian ammonite that combines both geological significance and natural beauty. A must-have for serious collectors, educators, and fossil enthusiasts.
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