1.73 Inch Desmoceras Ammonite Pair

Here is a beautiful 1.73 inch cut and polished Desmoceras ammonite pair from the Cretaceous of Madagascar. It exhibits gorgeous mineralization within the chambers, some of which are preserved as crystal lined pockets. The D shaped scepta (divisions) distinguish this from the much more commonly seen Cleoniceras ammonites. This highly polished, exotic ammonite makes a superb display piece with tremendous historical appeal.

Ammonites were predatory mollusks that resembled squids with shells. These cephalopods had eyes, tentacles, and spiral shells. Though their shells resemble that of a nautilus, they are actually more closely related to living octopuses. Ammonites appeared in the fossil record about 240 million years ago, barely surviving several major extinction events. The last lineages disappeared 65 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous.

Artist's reconstruction of an ammonite, by Nobu Tamura

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