Description
Polished Ammonite cleoniceras 12.5cm across
This large Polished ammonite cleoniceras shows the superb and intricate fern like suture patterns on each side. Although a superb specimen, there is a chipped section at the top together with some minor scratches, easily polished out. This damage is reflected in the price, which would have been more than double if perfect.
Ammonites have been extinct for 65 million years. They are a form of Cephalopod, a large and diverse group of marine molluscs. These first appeared in the Devonian Period, over 4oo million years ago. The soft body tissues of the ammonites, being so delicate are rarely preserved. It is generally the much harder outer shells that are fossilised. As the ammonite grew larger it constantly added new chambers to its shell. The actual creature only lived in the largest, and most recently formed chamber. The name Ammonite, has derived from from the name of the Greek God ‘Ammon’. Ammonites were plankton feeders, with long tentacles, and they swam upright. Altogether, there were in the region of four thousand different species.
Ammonites became extinct 65 million years ago, at the same time as the dinosaurs. Although Ammonites themselves have long been extinct, the squid and octopus that swim in our seas now, are closely related.
