RARE: Scaphites carlilensis Ammonite Fossil Turonian Upper Cretaceous Kansas USA – Genuine Carlile Shale Collector Specimen with COA

Description

Rare Scaphites carlilensis Ammonite Fossil

Turonian Fossil from the Upper Cretaceous

This genuine Scaphites carlilensis ammonite fossil comes from Kansas, USA. It was found in the Carlile Shale and dates to the Turonian Stage of the Upper Cretaceous Period. Described as a rare specimen, it combines a named species, documented rock unit, defined geological stage and state locality. It is a distinctive natural history piece for serious ammonite collectors, geology students, palaeontology enthusiasts and anyone building a cabinet of authentic prehistoric objects.

The photographs show the actual fossil you will receive. Its individual shape, colour, preservation, matrix and visible surface detail belong to this exact specimen. All three images should be examined carefully when considering its character and condition.

The Scaphites carlilensis Ammonite

Scaphites is an extinct genus from the distinctive scaphitid ammonite group. Ammonites were marine cephalopods with shells divided internally into chambers. While many ammonites retained a regular spiral throughout growth, scaphitids developed a modified adult shell in which the later body chamber departed from the earlier coil. The resulting combination of a coiled juvenile portion and a differently curved adult section gives Scaphites fossils their recognisable form.

This specimen is identified as Scaphites carlilensis. Features considered when studying scaphitid ammonites can include the shape and overlap of the coiled whorls, the development of the later body chamber, the form of the opening and the arrangement of ribs, nodes or other ornament. Please use the listing photographs as the definitive visual guide to the morphology and preservation visible on this individual fossil.

Carlile Shale Geology

The Carlile Shale is an Upper Cretaceous marine rock unit of the North American Western Interior. Its sediments accumulated within the Western Interior Seaway, a broad inland sea that covered large areas of the continent during the Late Cretaceous. Fine mud settled through the water and accumulated on the sea floor, later becoming shale and preserving evidence of marine organisms.

Ammonites lived within these ancient marine ecosystems. After death, their shells could settle onto the seabed, become buried by sediment and later be preserved through mineralisation, mould formation or other fossilisation processes. A Scaphites fossil from the Carlile Shale provides a tangible connection to that vanished seaway.

Turonian Upper Cretaceous Age

The Turonian is a stage within the Upper Cretaceous. Ammonite groups evolved through recognisable forms during this interval and were distributed across marine environments. Their fossils are therefore important for comparing the relative ages of sedimentary rocks and studying Cretaceous biostratigraphy.

The stated locality is Kansas, USA, giving this fossil clear geographical context alongside its Carlile Shale origin, Turonian age and species identification. The combination of rarity, taxonomic information and geological provenance makes it particularly suitable for a focused Cretaceous ammonite collection.

Natural Condition and Preservation

Fossils are natural geological objects rather than manufactured ornaments. Variations in surface texture, incomplete areas, attached matrix, mineral deposits and differences in colour may reflect burial, fossilisation, compaction, weathering and preparation. These characteristics are part of the specimen’s deep-time history and help make every genuine fossil unique.

Display, Study and Collecting

This rare Scaphites carlilensis ammonite is suitable for a fossil cabinet, natural history collection, classroom, office, study set or geology-themed display. It may also make a thoughtful gift for an experienced fossil collector, amateur palaeontologist, geology student or admirer of prehistoric marine life.

For full sizing, please refer to the photographs. The pictured fossil is the actual carefully chosen specimen supplied, not a representative example. The three images provide the best guide to its dimensions, shell form, matrix, visible ornament and overall preservation.

Authenticity and Certificate

This is a genuine fossil specimen. It includes a generic Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee card, providing an enduring authenticity assurance for the collector. The card will accompany the fossil.

You will receive one rare Scaphites carlilensis ammonite fossil from the Turonian Upper Cretaceous Carlile Shale of Kansas, USA, together with its Certificate of Authenticity card. The exact fossil shown in the listing photographs is the specimen that will be sent.