Vicininodiceras simplicicostatum Ammonite Fossil UK Jurassic Genuine COA Radstock Somerset Jamesoni Zone Lower Pliensbachian

Description

Genuine Vicininodiceras simplicicostatum Ammonite Fossil from Radstock, Somerset

A genuine Vicininodiceras simplicicostatum ammonite fossil from Radstock, Somerset, UK, dating to the Lower Jurassic, specifically the Lower Pliensbachian, Jamesoni Zone. This carefully selected British fossil represents an attractive and scientifically interesting ammonite from one of the classic fossil-bearing regions of southwest England.

This specimen is a genuine fossil and includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card. Full sizing can be seen in the photo, and the fossil shown is the actual carefully chosen specimen you will receive. It is an excellent piece for fossil collectors, British Jurassic specialists, educational displays, natural history cabinets, and anyone interested in ammonites or ancient marine life.

Fossil Type and Species Information

Vicininodiceras simplicicostatum is an ammonite, an extinct marine cephalopod related to modern squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus. Ammonites lived in ancient seas and had coiled, chambered shells. The animal occupied the outer body chamber, while the inner chambers helped regulate buoyancy as it moved through the water column.

This species is especially interesting because it comes from the Lower Pliensbachian, a period when ammonites were rapidly evolving and diversifying in Early Jurassic seas. Ammonites from this interval are widely used in biostratigraphy, as their changing shell forms allow geologists to date and correlate rock layers with great accuracy.

Depending on preservation, Vicininodiceras simplicicostatum may show the classic planispiral ammonite shape, curved whorl structure, visible ribbing, and natural shell ornamentation. The species name simplicicostatum refers to a simply ribbed form, making the rib pattern an important visual and identification feature.

Lower Jurassic Jamesoni Zone

This ammonite comes from the Jamesoni Zone of the Lower Pliensbachian, within the Lower Jurassic. The Jamesoni Zone is an important ammonite biozone and provides a precise geological age for the specimen. Ammonite zones are highly useful because ammonites were widespread, evolved quickly, and left behind distinctive shell forms in marine rocks.

The Lower Pliensbachian represents a time approximately 190 million years ago, when much of Britain was covered by shallow epicontinental seas. These seas supported a diverse marine ecosystem including ammonites, belemnites, bivalves, brachiopods, gastropods, crinoids, fish, and early marine reptiles.

Radstock and Somerset Geology

Radstock, Somerset is a historically important area for British geology and fossil collecting. The region is known for its Lower Jurassic marine deposits, which preserve fossils from ancient seabed environments. During the Early Jurassic, fine sediment accumulated in warm marine waters, burying shells and other remains that later became fossilised through mineralisation and compaction.

Fossils from Radstock are valued for their strong British provenance and their connection to the classic Jurassic successions of southwest England. A named ammonite species from this locality, with a clear Lower Pliensbachian and Jamesoni Zone attribution, has particular appeal for collectors who appreciate accurate geological labelling.

Ancient Marine Environment

The sea in which Vicininodiceras simplicicostatum lived would have been part of a broad Jurassic seaway covering much of what is now western Europe. Ammonites moved through the water column, while belemnites and fish occupied similar marine habitats. On the seabed, bivalves, brachiopods, and other invertebrates lived among soft sediment and shell debris.

When the ammonite died, its shell sank to the seabed and was gradually covered by sediment. Over millions of years, the original shell material and surrounding sediment became preserved as stone, creating the fossil seen today. Each ammonite is therefore a direct record of an animal that lived in Britain’s Jurassic seas around 190 million years ago.

Morphology and Display Appeal

Vicininodiceras simplicicostatum is a desirable ammonite for collectors because it combines a named species, a recognised Jurassic biozone, and a classic British fossil locality. Its coiled form and ribbed shell structure make it visually appealing, while its Lower Jurassic age gives it strong scientific interest.

This fossil is suitable for display in a fossil cabinet, study, classroom collection, museum-style arrangement, or natural history display. It would also make a thoughtful gift for anyone interested in fossils, palaeontology, geology, ammonites, or British natural history.

Authenticity and Specimen Details

This is a genuine Vicininodiceras simplicicostatum ammonite fossil from the Lower Jurassic, Lower Pliensbachian, Jamesoni Zone, collected from Radstock, Somerset, UK. It includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card.

The fossil shown in the photograph is the actual specimen you will receive. Full sizing can be seen in the photo, allowing buyers to view the true scale, preservation, shape, and presentation of this authentic British Jurassic ammonite.