Description
Subkossmatia otis Ammonite Fossil – Genuine Middle Jurassic Specimen
This is a genuine Subkossmatia otis ammonite fossil from Burgel, France. Dating to the Middle Callovian stage of the Middle Jurassic, this specimen represents an attractive and scientifically interesting marine cephalopod from the ancient Jurassic seas of Europe. Subkossmatia is associated with the wider perisphinctid ammonite group, a highly important lineage of Jurassic ammonites known for their coiled shells, ribbed ornamentation, and value in geological dating.
This fossil is a carefully chosen specimen, with the photograph showing the actual fossil you will receive. It also includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, making it an excellent choice for fossil collectors, geology students, natural history displays, educational collections, and anyone interested in genuine Jurassic ammonites from France.
Geology, Age and Location
This ammonite comes from Burgel, France, and is dated to the Middle Callovian. The Callovian is the final stage of the Middle Jurassic, approximately 166 to 164 million years ago. During this time, much of western Europe was covered by warm, shallow to moderately deep epicontinental seas. These marine environments supported an abundant and diverse fossil fauna, including ammonites, belemnites, nautiloids, bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods, echinoids, crinoids, corals, fish, and marine reptiles.
The Middle Callovian is especially important in ammonite biostratigraphy because ammonites evolved rapidly and are widely used to correlate Jurassic rock layers. A fossil from this interval therefore has both display appeal and geological interest, representing a clearly defined part of Middle Jurassic marine history.
Fossil Type and Species
Subkossmatia otis is an ammonite, an extinct marine cephalopod related to modern squid, cuttlefish, octopus, and nautilus. Ammonites had chambered shells divided internally by walls called septa. The living animal occupied the final outer body chamber, while the older internal chambers helped control buoyancy as the animal moved through the water column.
Subkossmatia is generally associated with the ammonite order Ammonitida and the superfamily Perisphinctoidea, one of the most characteristic ammonite groups of the Jurassic Period. Perisphinctid ammonites are known for their ribbed, planispiral shells and visible umbilicus, features that make them highly recognisable and popular among collectors. These ammonites are also important to palaeontologists because shell shape, ribbing style, and whorl proportions can help distinguish species and date the rocks in which they occur.
Morphology and Collector Appeal
Subkossmatia ammonites typically show the classic flat-coiled ammonite form, with whorls arranged in a natural spiral. Depending on preservation and growth stage, the specimen may show rounded to moderately compressed whorls, a visible central umbilicus, ribbed ornamentation, and natural internal mould detail. The ribs may pass across the shell flanks and can vary in strength or spacing as the animal grew, recording the growth pattern of the original shell.
These features make Subkossmatia otis an appealing fossil for collectors who appreciate Jurassic ammonites with strong natural geometry and clear palaeontological character. The fossil is also useful for educational display, helping to explain ammonite anatomy, cephalopod evolution, fossil preservation, and the role of ammonites in dating Jurassic marine rocks.
As a Middle Jurassic ammonite from France, this specimen pairs well with other European ammonites, belemnites, nautiloids, and marine fossils from the same broad geological period. Its combination of age, locality, and classic ammonite form gives it strong collector and display appeal.
Depositional Environment
During the Middle Callovian, the area that is now France lay beneath warm Jurassic seas connected to the wider marine basins of western Europe. Ammonites such as Subkossmatia lived in the water column, using their chambered shells to regulate buoyancy while feeding as active predators or scavengers. They shared these seas with many other marine animals, forming part of a rich ecosystem that existed while dinosaurs lived on nearby landmasses.
After death, the ammonite shell could sink to the seabed and become buried by sediment. Over millions of years, compaction, mineralisation, and geological change preserved the shell or internal mould as a fossil. This process created a lasting record of ancient marine life, allowing this specimen to be appreciated today as both a natural display piece and a genuine piece of Middle Jurassic history.
Authenticity and Display
All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. This Subkossmatia otis ammonite fossil is supplied with a lifetime guarantee generic COA card for confidence and peace of mind.
Full sizing: please see photo.
The fossil shown in the photograph is the actual specimen you will receive. This genuine Middle Callovian Subkossmatia otis ammonite from Burgel, France is a superb addition to a fossil collection, natural history cabinet, geology teaching set, Jurassic display, or collection of genuine marine cephalopod fossils.
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