LOT Old Heritage Auctions  /  2008 January Signature Natural History #5000  / 

48390

CRYSTAL-FILLED AMMONITE

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:800.00 USD Estimated At:1,600.00 - 1,800.00 USD
CRYSTAL-FILLED AMMONITE
<B>CRYSTAL - FILLED AMMONITE </B></I><BR> <I>Pachydiscus species <BR>Cretaceous <BR>Morondava, Madagascar </B></I><BR>Ammonites represent some of the most beautiful fossils in the world of Paleontology, and many are highly prized by collectors for their decorative appeal. This well-preserved and exotic-looking specimen is sectioned into halves and beautifully polished, the better to reveal its internal structure. Every whirling chamber is clearly visible and many are accented by golden honey-colored crystals of calcite. Each half measures 12 inches in diameter and is supported on a metal display stand. This ammonite belongs to the predaceous genus Pachydiscus, whose hydrodynamic streamlined shell was designed for swift and powerful movement. The Pachydisca, like all ammonites, are the fossil relatives of the living octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus (Cephalopods); their soft anatomy may have resembled that of their modern-day living relatives, with numerous tentacles, sharp beaks and enlarged eyes. Ammonites are of central importance to the study of paleontology in that they provide a reference for determining the age of certain sedimentary rocks, and are often used for reconstructing ancient marine assemblages as well as examples in the study of evolutionary biology. They became extinct mysteriously at the end of the Cretaceous period, approximately 65 million years ago, along with the dinosaurs. <BR><BR><b>Shipping:</b> Requires 3rd Party Shipping (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.heritageauctions.com/common/shipping.php">view shipping information</a>)
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