Fossils for Sale - High-quality BRITISH and WORLDWIDE Fossils. An impressive selection of fossils, including Ammonites, Trilobites, Belemnites, Fossil Fish, Fossil Shark Teeth, Fossilised Insects in Amber, Dinosaurs, and Reptiles. UK Fossils was formed in 1988 and collects and preps our own fossils in the heart of the Jurassic Coast, collecting fossils from Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Somerset. Our passion for fossils is reflected in our carefully curated collection, which includes some of the rarest and most unique specimens available.

FREE UK DELIVERY - Save up to 60%

SALE 10%
Rare Mazon Creek Fossil Fern Neuropteris Carboniferous Illinois USA with Certificate of Authenticity
Rare Mazon Creek Fossil Fern Neuropteris Carboniferous Illinois USA with Certificate of Authenticity - Image 2

Rare Mazon Creek Fossil Fern Neuropteris Carboniferous Illinois USA with Certificate of Authenticity

Original price was: £60.00.Current price is: £54.00.

Authentic Mazon Creek Fossil Fern – Neuropteris

This listing features a genuine Mazon Creek fossil fern, beautifully preserving the delicate foliage of the genus Neuropteris. Dating from the Carboniferous Period (around 307–309 million years ago), this specimen comes from the world-famous Mazon Creek fossil beds of Illinois, USA. The fossil has been naturally preserved in a siderite nodule, which split open to reveal the striking impression of the ancient plant. The photographs show the exact piece you will receive, and a Certificate of Authenticity accompanies the fossil for complete confidence in its genuineness.

Geological Context

  • Geological Period: Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian Subperiod)
  • Age: ~307–309 million years ago
  • Formation: Francis Creek Shale, Carbondale Formation
  • Location: Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA

The Mazon Creek beds are considered one of the most important fossil sites in the world. These nodules form in ancient deltaic and lagoonal environments where rapid burial preserved plants and animals with exceptional detail. The site is world-renowned as a Lagerstätte, a deposit with unusually fine preservation of both flora and fauna.

Scientific Classification

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Division: Pteridospermatophyta (Seed Ferns)
  • Order: Medullosales
  • Genus: Neuropteris

Neuropteris is not a true fern but a seed fern, an extinct group of plants that reproduced with seeds rather than spores. Its elegant, fern-like foliage makes it one of the most recognisable and collectible fossils from the Carboniferous coal forests.

Morphological Features

This specimen shows the key diagnostic features of Neuropteris:

  • Frond Structure: Large, bipinnate fronds with elongated pinnules.
  • Pinnules: Almond-shaped with smooth, curved margins.
  • Venation: A strong central vein with fine lateral veins extending outward in a net-like pattern.
  • Surface Detail: Clear, sharp impressions that display the natural beauty of the ancient foliage.

These features allow paleobotanists to identify Neuropteris and distinguish it from other Carboniferous ferns such as Pecopteris or Mariopteris.

Paleoenvironment and Significance

During the Carboniferous, vast swampy forests dominated the equatorial regions of the Earth. These coal-forming environments were rich with tree-sized lycopsids, horsetails, true ferns, and seed ferns like Neuropteris. The lush vegetation contributed to the massive coal deposits that define the Carboniferous name (“coal-bearing”).

The Mazon Creek flora provides a detailed snapshot of this world, showing how early plant ecosystems were structured. Neuropteris fossils are highly valued for their scientific importance and aesthetic appeal, representing an extinct lineage of plants that bridged the evolutionary gap between primitive ferns and later seed-bearing plants.

Key Details

  • Specimen Type: Fossil fern (Neuropteris) preserved in siderite nodule
  • Age: Carboniferous (~307 million years old)
  • Formation: Francis Creek Shale
  • Location: Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA
  • Authenticity: 100% genuine with Certificate of Authenticity
  • Size: Please see scale photo with 1cm cube for accurate dimensions

Collectability and Display

Mazon Creek Neuropteris fossils are highly collectible due to their clarity, rarity, and importance in paleobotany. Each specimen is a one-of-a-kind natural artwork, capturing a moment in prehistoric time when lush forests covered much of the Earth.

Whether you are a fossil enthusiast, paleobotany student, or collector of rare natural history specimens, this Neuropteris fossil represents an exceptional opportunity to own a genuine piece of Carboniferous forest history preserved for over three hundred million years.

(Actual as seen)

Only 1 left in stock

SKU: UF0786 Category:

Description

Authentic Mazon Creek Fossil Fern – Neuropteris

This listing features a genuine Mazon Creek fossil fern, beautifully preserving the delicate foliage of the genus Neuropteris. Dating from the Carboniferous Period (around 307–309 million years ago), this specimen comes from the world-famous Mazon Creek fossil beds of Illinois, USA. The fossil has been naturally preserved in a siderite nodule, which split open to reveal the striking impression of the ancient plant. The photographs show the exact piece you will receive, and a Certificate of Authenticity accompanies the fossil for complete confidence in its genuineness.

Geological Context

  • Geological Period: Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian Subperiod)
  • Age: ~307–309 million years ago
  • Formation: Francis Creek Shale, Carbondale Formation
  • Location: Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA

The Mazon Creek beds are considered one of the most important fossil sites in the world. These nodules form in ancient deltaic and lagoonal environments where rapid burial preserved plants and animals with exceptional detail. The site is world-renowned as a Lagerstätte, a deposit with unusually fine preservation of both flora and fauna.

Scientific Classification

  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Division: Pteridospermatophyta (Seed Ferns)
  • Order: Medullosales
  • Genus: Neuropteris

Neuropteris is not a true fern but a seed fern, an extinct group of plants that reproduced with seeds rather than spores. Its elegant, fern-like foliage makes it one of the most recognisable and collectible fossils from the Carboniferous coal forests.

Morphological Features

This specimen shows the key diagnostic features of Neuropteris:

  • Frond Structure: Large, bipinnate fronds with elongated pinnules.
  • Pinnules: Almond-shaped with smooth, curved margins.
  • Venation: A strong central vein with fine lateral veins extending outward in a net-like pattern.
  • Surface Detail: Clear, sharp impressions that display the natural beauty of the ancient foliage.

These features allow paleobotanists to identify Neuropteris and distinguish it from other Carboniferous ferns such as Pecopteris or Mariopteris.

Paleoenvironment and Significance

During the Carboniferous, vast swampy forests dominated the equatorial regions of the Earth. These coal-forming environments were rich with tree-sized lycopsids, horsetails, true ferns, and seed ferns like Neuropteris. The lush vegetation contributed to the massive coal deposits that define the Carboniferous name (“coal-bearing”).

The Mazon Creek flora provides a detailed snapshot of this world, showing how early plant ecosystems were structured. Neuropteris fossils are highly valued for their scientific importance and aesthetic appeal, representing an extinct lineage of plants that bridged the evolutionary gap between primitive ferns and later seed-bearing plants.

Key Details

  • Specimen Type: Fossil fern (Neuropteris) preserved in siderite nodule
  • Age: Carboniferous (~307 million years old)
  • Formation: Francis Creek Shale
  • Location: Mazon Creek, Illinois, USA
  • Authenticity: 100% genuine with Certificate of Authenticity
  • Size: Please see scale photo with 1cm cube for accurate dimensions

Collectability and Display

Mazon Creek Neuropteris fossils are highly collectible due to their clarity, rarity, and importance in paleobotany. Each specimen is a one-of-a-kind natural artwork, capturing a moment in prehistoric time when lush forests covered much of the Earth.

Whether you are a fossil enthusiast, paleobotany student, or collector of rare natural history specimens, this Neuropteris fossil represents an exceptional opportunity to own a genuine piece of Carboniferous forest history preserved for over three hundred million years.

Additional information

Era

Carboniferous
Origin

USA

Carboniferous Information

The Carboniferous Period (359–299 million years ago) was a time of vast forests, giant insects, and the first reptiles. Named for its extensive coal deposits, this period saw lush swamps filled with towering lycophyte trees, ferns, and horsetails, which would later become today’s coal reserves. The climate was warm and humid, with high oxygen levels fueling the growth of giant arthropods like the dragonfly-like Meganeura and the massive millipede Arthropleura. Amphibians thrived in swampy environments, while the first reptiles evolved, laying eggs on land. In the oceans, sharks and early bony fish dominated, and corals flourished in warm, shallow seas. The period ended with a cooling climate and glaciation, leading to the drying of swamps and the decline of many species.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Related products