4" Mammites Nodosoides Ammonite Fossil Shell Upper Cretaceous Age Morocco
Location: Jbel Toubkal, Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Weight: 12.8 Ounces
Dimension: 4 Inches Long, 3 Inches Wide, 1.6 Inches Thick
This is a real fossil
Upper Cretaceous, 80 Million Years Old
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Mammites Nodosoides Ammonite
Ammonites are an extinct group of marine cephalopods belonging to the subclass Ammonoidea, a close relative of modern squids, octopuses, and cuttlefish. These fascinating sea creatures thrived throughout the Mesozoic Era, especially during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, dominating the world’s oceans for nearly 140 million years—from about 201 million years ago until their extinction 66 million years ago.
Their sudden disappearance at the end of the Cretaceous period coincided with the mass extinction event that also wiped out the dinosaurs. Scientists believe this was caused by a combination of catastrophic environmental changes, most notably a massive asteroid impact that triggered global climate disruptions and the collapse of marine ecosystems.
Ammonites are best known for their distinctively coiled shells, which varied greatly in size, form, and ornamentation across species. These fascinating marine cephalopods built chambered shells separated by thin walls called septa. The living creature occupied only the outermost body chamber, while the inner chambers were filled with gas or fluid that allowed it to control buoyancy and move efficiently through ancient seas. The complex suture patterns where the septa met the shell wall are a defining characteristic used by scientists to identify and classify ammonite species.
The ammonite shell served a dual purpose—protection from predators and buoyancy regulation, making it both a defensive armor and a tool for survival.
As carnivorous predators, ammonites likely fed on plankton, small crustaceans, and possibly even other ammonites. With tentacle-like limbs and sharp, beak-like jaws similar to modern squid and octopuses, they were efficient hunters in their environment. Fossil evidence suggests they were strong, agile swimmers, preferring warm, shallow seas rather than the deeper parts of the ocean.
Their evolutionary history shows a remarkable diversity; over 10,000 species have been identified from fossil records found globally. Ammonites evolved rapidly over geological time scales, making them excellent index fossils for dating rock layers due to their short geological lifespan.
The evolutionary lineage of ammonites traces back to straight-shelled nautiloids that first appeared during the Devonian period. Over millions of years, these ancient marine cephalopods underwent remarkable morphological evolution, developing coiled shells with increasingly complex suture patterns that enhanced buoyancy control and structural strength. This evolutionary adaptability allowed ammonites to flourish in a wide range of marine environments for over 300 million years.
Despite their resilience and ability to survive multiple mass extinction events, including the catastrophic Permian-Triassic extinction, ammonites ultimately disappeared during the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K–Pg) extinction event about 66 million years ago. This event, triggered by a massive asteroid impact and global environmental upheaval, also marked the end of the age of dinosaurs.
This final extinction is believed to have been triggered by a massive asteroid impact that drastically altered global climates and disrupted food chains in marine ecosystems.
