RARE Goniatites crenistria – Fossil Goniatite, Carboniferous, Wye Valley UK

Description

For sale is a rare fossil of Goniatites crenistria, an extinct ammonoid cephalopod from the Carboniferous Period, collected from the renowned Wye Valley region, United Kingdom. Goniatites are early relatives of modern squid and ammonites and are prized for their coiled shells and intricate suture patterns.

Fossil Type & Species:

• Type: Goniatite (Ammonoid Cephalopod)
• Species: Goniatites crenistria
• Distinguished by its finely crenulated suture lines and compact coiling

Geological Context:

• Period: Carboniferous
• Stage: Likely late Visean to early Namurian (~330–325 million years ago)
• Depositional Environment: Shallow marine carbonate platform or shelf basin, where fine sediments and anoxic conditions helped preserve marine organisms like goniatites
• Formation: Carboniferous Limestone Series or equivalent units common in the Wye Valley

Morphological Features:

• Small to medium-sized planispiral shell with a discoidal shape
• Intricate lobed and saddled suture pattern – typical of the crenistria form
• Smooth to finely ribbed surface depending on preservation
• Shell may display light mineralisation or patina from fossilisation in limestone

Scientific Importance:

• Goniatites are used in biostratigraphy to correlate Carboniferous marine rocks across Europe
• Goniatites crenistria serves as a zone fossil in late Mississippian strata and helps define biozones within the Carboniferous
• These fossils are essential for understanding early ammonoid evolution and Palaeozoic marine ecosystems

Locality Information:

• Wye Valley, UK – A historically rich geological area where Carboniferous limestone exposures yield diverse fossil marine fauna, including corals, brachiopods, crinoids, and cephalopods

Authenticity & Display:

All of our fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. The images shown are of the exact specimen you will receive. Please refer to the photos for full sizing, with the scale cube = 1cm.

This is a rare and beautifully preserved fossil of Goniatites crenistria, perfect for collectors of ammonoids, British geology, or Palaeozoic marine life.

Add a piece of ancient ocean history to your collection—this fossil is over 325 million years old and a stunning relic of Britain’s Carboniferous seas.