Whole Polished Douvilleiceras Ammonites - 35 to 40mm

The Ammonite shown is the one you'll receive

Whole Polished Douvilleiceras Ammonite

One of the most characterful little ammonites you can hold. Douvilleiceras is instantly recognisable for its fat, knobbly ribs, and these whole specimens have been polished until the surface gleams, bringing up rich toffee-brown, amber and smoky grey tones with flashes of orange in the shell. Tightly coiled and chunky, each one has a spiral of stubby tubercles marching around the whorl and a smooth domed centre worn to a soft sheen. At 35 to 40mm they sit perfectly in the palm, which makes them brilliant pocket fossils, desk curios and starter pieces for young collectors.

Geology & Formation

Douvilleiceras lived in warm, shallow Cretaceous seas during the Albian stage, roughly 113 to 100 million years ago, swimming by jet propulsion like the nautilus does today. Its heavy ribbing and spiny knobs likely strengthened the shell against predators. After death the shells sank into the seabed, and mineral-rich fluids gradually replaced the original shell material, preserving the ribs and coil in fine detail. The species is best known from the Cretaceous marine beds of Madagascar.

Fossil Details

• Genuine whole fossil Douvilleiceras ammonite
• Size: approximately 35 to 40mm across
• Age: Albian, Early Cretaceous, roughly 113 to 100 million years old
• Finish: polished all over, whole specimen rather than a cut half
  
• Distinctive knobbly ribbed whorl with a smooth central boss

The coin shown in the photographs is for scale only and is not included.

Collector Appeal

A proper handful of deep time at pocket-money scale: sturdy enough to be handled, striking enough to display, and a great gift for fossil fans, geology students and curious kids. Ammonites are also traditionally linked with change, growth and forward movement, a belief rather than a proven property.