Ammonite medium size

Ammonites lived during the periods of Earth history known as the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Together, these represent a time interval of about 140 million years. The Jurassic Period began about 201 million years ago and the Cretaceous Period ended about 66 million years ago.

Ammonites are one of the most common fossils that exist today. Before hitting extinction along with the dinosaurs, the squid-like creatures roamed the oceans in schools, using an organ called a siphuncle to jet through the water. Their remains are simply beautiful and a cornerstone of any nautical or fossil collection. The Black coloration is due to changes to the rock formation within the earth after the ammonite was fossilized. It is believed to be the result of infusion of the mineral Manganese into the fossilizing ammonite.