Description
Up for sale is a RARE Fossil Chalk Echinoid – Conulus raulini, a beautifully preserved specimen from the Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian Stage, collected in Southern Limburg, Netherlands. This authentic fossil is a scientifically significant piece from the world-renowned Maastrichtian chalk beds of Europe.
As always, this is a 100% genuine specimen, hand-selected for quality and completeness. It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. The specimen shown in the photographs is the exact item you will receive. Please refer to the photo with a 1cm scale rule/cube for accurate sizing.
Fossil Overview:
- Species: Conulus raulini Cotteau, 1873
- Common Name: Fossil Chalk Sea Urchin / Echinoid
- Geological Period: Late Cretaceous
- Stage: Maastrichtian (72.1 – 66 million years ago)
- Formation: Maastricht Chalk / Gulpen Formation
- Location: Southern Limburg, Netherlands
- Preservation Type: Chalk matrix fossil
Geological & Depositional Environment:
This specimen originates from the Maastrichtian Stage, the final stage of the Cretaceous period, known for its rich marine deposits laid down in warm, shallow seas. The Maastricht Formation (also including the Gulpen and Valkenburg formations) is a famous fossiliferous chalk deposit from this era.
Deposited in a quiet, low-energy, carbonate-rich marine environment, these chalk beds represent an epicontinental sea that covered much of Western Europe. Conditions were ideal for the preservation of calcareous organisms such as echinoids, belemnites, bivalves, and ammonites.
Taxonomy & Classification:
- Phylum: Echinodermata
- Class: Echinoidea
- Order: Echinoneoida
- Superfamily: Conulidea
- Family: Conulidae
- Genus: Conulus
- Species: C. raulini (formally described by Cotteau in 1873)
Morphological Features:
Conulus raulini is easily recognisable by:
- Its near-symmetrical, sub-pentagonal or heart-shaped test
- A smooth surface with very fine or nearly indistinct ambulacra
- A well-rounded apical dome with a flat to slightly concave oral surface
- Adapted for a semi-infaunal lifestyle, living just below the seafloor in soft chalk sediment
This echinoid likely fed on detritus and organic material through its oral opening situated on the underside of the test.
Notable Points:
- A classic echinoid species from the type region for the Maastrichtian Stage
- Rarely offered in such clean and intact form
- Excellent for collectors, educators, and display
- Identified and described by Gustave Cotteau, a renowned 19th-century echinoderm specialist
Why Buy From Us?
- All fossils are 100% genuine — no replicas
- Includes a Certificate of Authenticity with every purchase
- Exact specimen in the listing photos — no stock images
- Carefully packaged and dispatched promptly
Add a rare and scientifically important fossil to your collection with this beautiful Conulus raulini from the Cretaceous seas of ancient Europe. A timeless piece of natural history, perfect for fossil enthusiasts or as a one-of-a-kind gift.
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