Lot 887
A Large Nautiloid And A Large Ammonite From Madagascar. Ammonites are the closest relative to the chambered nautilus which still exist today. This lot contains both a large 7 inch in diameter 110 million year old ammonite, Cleaniceras and a 5.75 inch long 110 million year old nautiloid from the large island of Madagascar. Both have been cut in half and polished to reveal the detail and beauty of inner chambers. Ammonites and nautiloids both started growing in the small center and added chambers spiraling outward as they grew. The living animal lived only in the last large chamber and the inner chambers were airtight and could be filled with water by the living ammonite or nautiloid to move up or down in the water.
The beautiful large 7 inch ammonite has inner chambers filled with root beer-colored calcite, middle chambers still partially open with yellow calcite crystals inside, and the last four chambers filled with a grey stone which was mud in the initial burial 110 million years ago. The 5.75 inch has a spectacular interior filled with various colors of cream to brown calcite crystal and athick sphinter tube that was used to fill the numbers with water and each chamber outlined in an orange colored mineral. It is informative to compare the differences in construction between the ammonite and the nautiloid.
Add $25.00 for domestic shipping.
Estimated Value $250 - 300.
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| Realized $230 |
