Large Cleoniceras Ammonite with Iridescent...

A Large, Polished Fossil from the Cretaceous Seas of Madagascar — We present an ammonite fossil specimen of remarkable size, belonging to the genus Cleoniceras, coming from the famous Lower Cretaceous deposits of Madagascar. This magnificent specimen, dating to about 110 million years ago, has been skillfully sectioned and polished on one face to reveal the complex internal anatomy and the exceptional state of preservation, transforming it into an object of great scientific and aesthetic value. Direct observation reveals a spiraled coil of harmonious proportions, whose smooth surface acts as a window onto the geological past. The polish highlights the internal chambers of the fragmocone, now completely mineralized and filled with calcite in warm tones ranging from cream to deep honey and earth brown. Between one chamber and another, the septa are perfectly visible, and above all the intricate and delicate ammonitic suture lines, with their dendritic patterns that are an unmistakable signature of these ancient cephalopods. The most distinctive and precious feature of this specimen is the extraordinary preservation of large portions of the original mother-of-pearl layer of the shell. This fossil aragonite, having survived for eons, has not lost its ability to interact with light: by orienting the piece, one can admire magnificent iridescent phenomena, with flashes of opalescent color shifting from green to pink to violet. This detail is not only of great beauty, but also testifies to an exceptionally high-quality fossilization process that occurred under particularly favorable environmental conditions. Ammonites of the genus Cleoniceras inhabited the oceans during the Albian, a stage of the Lower Cretaceous. They were marine predators, related to modern squids and nautiluses, that built a spiral shell divided into chambers to regulate buoyancy. Their extinction, around 66 million years ago along with the dinosaurs, has left behind a fossil legacy of inestimable value for paleontology. The deposits of the Mahajanga region in Madagascar are world-renowned for the quality and abundance of these specimens. This example represents a perfect fusion of scientific specimen and natural art object. The evocative contrast between the perfectly polished face and the outer edge, left in its natural, rugged state, creates a visually fascinating dialogue. The latter allows one to appreciate the shell’s original texture and thickness. For its grandeur and beauty, this fossil is an ideal piece to enrich a natural history collection, a wunderkammer cabinet, or to become the focal point of a sophisticated interior, carrying with it the echo of a submerged and distant world.

Estimate:£887.15

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