Ammonite pair, black, cut and polished
Ammonite pair, black, cut and polished
Regular price
$20.00 USD
Regular price
Sale price
$20.00 USD
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per
Age: Middle Cretaceous (~110 Million years ago)
Origin: Mahajanga Province, Madagascar
Size: 1 1/4 to 1 1/2"
The dark black and orange coloration is quite unusual, since most ammonites on the market are yellow/orange in color. The difference in color is primarily due to the difference in composition of the surrounding rock after fossilization occurred.
Ammonites were shelled, ocean-dwelling cephalopods. They are more closely related to living octopuses and squid, though their shells resemble that of nautilus species. True ammonites appeared in the fossil record about 240 million years ago during the Triassic Period; most ammonites died out at the same time as the non-avian dinosaurs, at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
Ammonites' diet was probably similar to today's cephalopods, including crustaceans, bivalves and fish. Smaller species likely ate plankton. In turn, they served as prey for larger fish; there is evidence of mosasaurs and ichthyosaurs having eaten them.
The hollow chambers of the ammonite have been replaced with agate during the fossilization process; some of these chambers are still partially hollow and lined with crystals.
Although these photos are representative of the specimen you will receive, the exact specimen may not be identical to the photo.