RARE: Gyrochorte Trace Fossil Burrow – Forest Marble, Bathonian Jurassic – Woodeaton Quarry, UK – Authentic with COA

Description

This listing offers a rare and scientifically valuable Gyrochorte trace fossil burrow, collected from the Forest Marble Formation of the Great Oolite Group, dating to the Bathonian Stage of the Middle Jurassic Period. Discovered at Woodeaton Quarry, Oxfordshire, UK, this specimen represents an exquisite example of biogenic sedimentary structures left by ancient invertebrates.

Fossil Type: Trace Fossil (Ichnofossil)

• Ichnogenus: Gyrochorte
• Common Interpretation: Horizontal, spiral or helical locomotion or feeding trace created by a worm-like organism moving through soft marine sediment

Geological Context:

• Formation: Forest Marble
• Group: Great Oolite
• Stage: Bathonian (Middle Jurassic)
• Age: Approx. 168–166 million years ago
• Location: Woodeaton Quarry, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
• Depositional Environment: Shallow marine or marginal marine setting with mixed siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentation

Morphological Features:

• Characterised by a distinctive spiral or meandering bilobed ridge, formed by backfilled sediment during the organism’s movement
• Typically horizontal in bedding plane, reflecting surface or near-surface sediment disruption
• Preserved in positive or negative relief depending on infill and erosion pattern

Paleontological & Scientific Significance:

• Gyrochorte is an important ichnotaxon for interpreting paleoenvironmental conditions and substrate consistency
• Indicates organism-sediment interactions in moderately energetic marine settings
• Valuable for educational display, ichnology reference collections, and sedimentological interpretation

Authenticity Guaranteed: This fossil is 100% genuine and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity. The photograph shows the actual specimen you will receive, with a 1cm scale cube for accurate sizing.

All of our fossils are carefully selected for their quality, scientific importance, and aesthetic value. This is a beautiful and rare example of Gyrochorte, ideal for collectors, educators, and enthusiasts of paleo-trace fossils.

Please see the photo for full sizing and detail. A fine trace fossil from the Middle Jurassic seas of England.