Description
This listing features a RARE and striking 8-inch Fossil Ammonite – Morrisiceras sphaera, a beautifully preserved example from the Middle Bathonian Stage of the Jurassic Period, collected from Davage, France. This large and robust ammonite is a prized addition for collectors of Jurassic marine life.
As with all our items, this is a 100% genuine fossil, carefully selected and professionally curated. It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. The specimen shown in the photos is the exact item you will receive. Please refer to the scale cube photo (1cm squares) for full sizing.
Fossil Overview:
- Species: Morrisiceras sphaera (d’Orbigny, 1845)
- Type: Fossil Ammonite
- Geological Period: Jurassic
- Stage: Middle Bathonian (~168–166 million years ago)
- Biozone (likely): Morrisiceras Zone (within the Zigzag or Retrocostatum Subzones)
- Location: Davage, France
- Specimen Size: Approx. 8 inches (20 cm)
- Preservation: Natural fossil in matrix (likely limestone or marl)
Geological & Depositional Context:
The Middle Bathonian of France is well known for its richly fossiliferous marine strata, deposited in a shallow epicontinental sea during a warm interval of the Jurassic. These sediments consist mostly of calcareous mudstones and limestones, ideal for preserving hard-shelled marine organisms such as ammonites, brachiopods, bivalves, and belemnites.
The ammonite Morrisiceras sphaera is a biostratigraphically significant species, often used to define subzones within the Bathonian Stage. The Davage locality is especially noted for its well-preserved and often large ammonite fossils.
Taxonomy & Classification:
- Phylum: Mollusca
- Class: Cephalopoda
- Order: Ammonitida
- Superfamily: Stephanoceratoidea
- Family: Morphoceratidae
- Genus: Morrisiceras
- Species: M. sphaera (formally described by Alcide d’Orbigny, 1845)
Morphological Features:
Morrisiceras sphaera is characterised by:
- A large, globular (sphaerical) coiled shell
- Strong, rounded ribbing that may bifurcate along the flanks
- Deep umbilicus and pronounced ventral keel in some specimens
- Thick shell wall and solid internal preservation
These robust ammonites were nektonic, fast-moving swimmers inhabiting open marine environments, preying on smaller invertebrates.
Notable Aspects:
- Rare large specimen measuring 8 inches across
- Excellent preservation from a well-known French Bathonian site
- Species named and described by A. d’Orbigny, one of the founding figures of palaeontology
- Important biostratigraphic index fossil for Jurassic correlation across Europe
- Impressive display fossil with scientific and aesthetic appeal
Why Buy From Us?
- All fossils are 100% authentic, responsibly sourced
- Includes a Certificate of Authenticity
- The specimen shown is the one you will receive
- Expertly packed and promptly shipped with care
Own a rare and scientifically important fossil from the Jurassic seas with this large Morrisiceras sphaera from Davage, France – a perfect centrepiece for any natural history collection or museum-quality display.
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