Rare Furo Fossil Fish Jurassic Lyme Regis Dorset UK Black Ven Marls Genuine Jurassic Coast Fish Fossil Lower Lias Specimen with COA

Description

Rare Furo Fossil Fish from the Jurassic Coast – Black Ven, Lyme Regis

Presented here is a rare fossil fish of the genus Furo, discovered within the famous Black Ven Marls at Black Ven near Lyme Regis, Dorset, England. This authentic specimen originates from the Lower Lias deposits of the Early Jurassic, part of the internationally recognised Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dating to approximately 201–190 million years ago, this fossil represents a preserved example of an ancient marine fish that once inhabited the warm seas covering southern Britain during the Early Jurassic.

This fossil is a carefully chosen specimen, selected for quality and display value. The photograph shown in the listing depicts the exact fossil you will receive.

The specimen includes a fully hand-signed Premium Certificate of Authenticity, confirming that it is a genuine fossil.

Full dimensions and scale are visible in the listing photographs.

Furo – An Early Jurassic Ray-Finned Fish

The fossil fish Furo belongs to the class Actinopterygii, the ray-finned fishes, which today represent the most diverse group of vertebrates in the world. Fossil members of this group were already abundant and diverse during the Jurassic Period, occupying many ecological niches within ancient marine environments.

Furo is generally placed within the order Amiiformes, a lineage of fishes that also includes the modern bowfin (Amia calva). These fishes were well adapted to active swimming and predatory behaviour within Jurassic seas.

Typical characteristics associated with Furo include:

• An elongated body adapted for efficient swimming

• Well-developed fins used for maneuverability in open water

• Strong skeletal structure typical of early ray-finned fishes

• Scales arranged in overlapping rows providing protection and flexibility

These fishes were part of the complex marine ecosystems that supported a diverse range of predators and prey, including marine reptiles, ammonites, crustaceans, and other fish species.

Furo would likely have fed on small marine organisms such as crustaceans, smaller fish, and soft-bodied invertebrates, forming part of the middle levels of the Jurassic marine food chain.

The Black Ven Marls – Lower Lias Geological Formation

This fossil originates from the Black Ven Marls, a well-known fossil-bearing unit within the Lower Lias Group exposed along the Dorset coastline.

These sediments formed during the Early Jurassic Period, particularly the Hettangian to Sinemurian stages, when southern Britain was covered by a shallow marine basin connected to the Tethys Ocean.

The sediments consist primarily of fine marine mudstones and marls, deposited slowly on the sea floor under relatively calm conditions. Such environments are ideal for fossil preservation, allowing even delicate organisms like fish to be fossilised in fine detail.

The Lower Lias of Lyme Regis is internationally renowned for its exceptional fossil record, which includes:

• Marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs

• Numerous species of ammonites and belemnites

• Crustaceans and marine invertebrates

• Fossil fish including genera such as Caturus, Dapedium, and Furo

These fossil-bearing strata are also important for geological research because they contain well-defined ammonite biozones, allowing precise dating of Early Jurassic marine sediments.

Lyme Regis – One of the World’s Great Fossil Localities

The coastal cliffs surrounding Lyme Regis have long been recognised as one of the most important fossil sites in the world. The area forms part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, stretching along the Dorset and East Devon coastline.

This region became famous during the early 19th century through the discoveries of pioneering fossil collector Mary Anning, whose finds of ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs helped transform scientific understanding of prehistoric life.

The Black Ven cliffs, located just east of Lyme Regis, remain one of the most productive fossil exposures in the area. Natural coastal erosion continually reveals new fossils within the Lower Jurassic clays, making the site a key location for collectors and researchers.

Fish fossils such as Furo provide important evidence of the diversity and ecological complexity of Early Jurassic marine ecosystems.

Preservation and Fossil Characteristics

Fish fossils from the Black Ven Marls are often preserved within fine laminated clay sediments, which can capture detailed anatomical features including skeletal elements, scale impressions, and body outlines.

The fossilisation process involved burial within organic-rich marine muds followed by mineral replacement of the original biological material over millions of years. This process commonly results in fossils displaying dark mineralised tones against the surrounding sediment.

Such fossils offer a direct glimpse into the marine biodiversity of the Jurassic seas and are highly valued by collectors for their scientific and historical significance.

Authenticity and Collector Information

• Genuine fossil specimen – not a cast or replica

• Fossil Species: Furo sp.

• Geological Formation: Black Ven Marls, Lower Lias Group

• Age: Early Jurassic (Hettangian–Sinemurian), approximately 201–190 million years old

• Locality: Black Ven, Lyme Regis, Dorset, United Kingdom

• Includes fully hand-signed Premium Certificate of Authenticity

• The exact fossil shown in the photographs is the specimen you will receive

This rare fossil fish from the historic Jurassic Coast is an excellent addition to any Jurassic fossil collection, fossil fish collection, or natural history display, representing an authentic piece of Early Jurassic marine life preserved in the famous fossil beds of Lyme Regis.