Rare Scaphites whitfieldi Ammonite Fossil Maastrichtian Utah with COA

Description

RARE SCAPHITES WHITFIELDI AMMONITE FOSSIL

This genuine Scaphites whitfieldi ammonite is a rare Upper Cretaceous fossil from the Henry Mountains region of Utah, USA. It is Maastrichtian in age, placing it close to the end of the Cretaceous Period and the final chapter of ammonite evolution. The photographs show the actual fossil you will receive, including its individual shell form, natural preservation and associated matrix.

SPECIES AND HETEROMORPH SHELL

Scaphites whitfieldi belongs to the order Ammonitida and the scaphitid group of heteromorph ammonites. Scaphites is recognised for a distinctive growth pattern that differs from the fully coiled shells of many classic ammonites. The juvenile shell was generally compact and closely coiled, while later growth produced an uncoiled section followed by a recurved adult body chamber. This combination created an unusual, highly characteristic profile.

As in other ammonites, the shell contained a sequence of internal chambers separated by walls called septa. The animal lived in the final body chamber, while the earlier chambers assisted with buoyancy. The complex junctions between the septa and shell formed suture patterns that are important for ammonite identification and classification.

MAASTRICHTIAN GEOLOGY OF UTAH

The Maastrichtian was the final stage of the Late Cretaceous, lasting from approximately 72.1 to 66 million years ago. During earlier parts of the Cretaceous, the Western Interior Seaway divided North America and supported diverse marine communities. By Maastrichtian time the seaway was changing and retreating, creating shifting coastlines, shallow marine habitats and sedimentary environments across the western interior.

The Henry Mountains region preserves a remarkable geological record of southern Utah. Fossils from its Cretaceous rocks provide evidence of environments that existed long before the modern desert landscape developed. Ammonite shells could settle into marine sediment after death, become buried and undergo mineralisation over millions of years. Their preservation allows palaeontologists to compare rock ages and reconstruct the distribution of ancient seas.

A LATE CRETACEOUS COLLECTOR’S SPECIMEN

Scaphites fossils are prized for their unconventional shell shape and for the insight they provide into ammonite growth. A Maastrichtian specimen is particularly significant because ammonites became extinct at the end-Cretaceous mass extinction approximately 66 million years ago. This fossil therefore represents one of the later ammonite communities before the group disappeared.

The identified species, recorded Utah locality and late Cretaceous age make this example suitable for a specialist ammonite collection, an American fossil display or an educational set illustrating extinction and geological change. Natural matrix, mineral colour variation, weathering, small fractures or incomplete shell areas are authentic features of fossil preservation. Please inspect every photograph for the full sizing and exact condition of this individual specimen.

AUTHENTICITY AND PRESENTATION

This is a genuine fossil specimen and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. The fossil has been carefully selected, and all images show the actual specimen that will be supplied. It is suitable for palaeontology study, geological display or a memorable natural-history gift. It will be prepared for secure handling and dispatch so its rare form and remarkable connection to the closing stages of the Cretaceous can be appreciated for years to come.