Description
Genuine Coilopoceras colleti Ammonite Fossil
This genuine fossil ammonite is a Coilopoceras colleti from Bagua Grande, Amazonas, Peru. Dating from the Coniacian Stage of the Upper Cretaceous Period, this specimen represents an impressive prehistoric marine cephalopod from a time when warm Cretaceous seas covered parts of South America. It is a carefully chosen fossil, with the photo showing the actual specimen you will receive. Full sizing can be seen in the photo, and the fossil includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card.
Coilopoceras colleti is a highly collectable ammonite species belonging to the family Coilopoceratidae, a group of Cretaceous ammonites known for their compressed, elegant shell form and complex ammonitic suture patterns. Ammonites were extinct marine molluscs related to modern squid, cuttlefish, octopus, and nautilus. Their coiled shells were divided into chambers, with the living animal occupying the final body chamber while the inner chambers helped regulate buoyancy in the water column.
Species and Scientific Interest
The species Coilopoceras colleti was formally named by Hyatt in 1903. The genus Coilopoceras is recognised for its strongly involute, compressed, lenticular shell shape. Involute ammonites have outer whorls that overlap much of the earlier shell, creating a neat, compact, disc-like form. This gives Coilopoceras a distinctive rounded profile that makes it immediately recognisable among many Upper Cretaceous ammonites.
The shell form is typically smooth to gently ornamented, with a narrow venter and complex suture lines where the internal chamber walls met the outer shell. These sutures are an important diagnostic feature in ammonite identification and are one of the reasons ammonites are so valuable to palaeontologists. Their rapid evolution and broad marine distribution make them excellent fossils for dating and comparing Cretaceous rock layers.
Geology: Bagua Grande, Amazonas, Peru
This specimen comes from Bagua Grande in the Amazonas region of northern Peru, an area with important Upper Cretaceous marine deposits linked to ancient seaways along the Andean margin. During the Late Cretaceous, marine incursions affected parts of northern Peru, creating warm shallow to offshore environments where ammonites, bivalves, fish, and other marine organisms lived.
The sediments in which ammonites such as Coilopoceras colleti are preserved were deposited in ancient marine conditions. Fine muds, silts, and carbonate-rich sediments settled on the seafloor, gradually burying the shells of dead cephalopods. Over millions of years, these remains became fossilised through mineral replacement and compaction, preserving the shell form as a durable record of Cretaceous sea life.
Age: Coniacian, Upper Cretaceous
This fossil dates to the Coniacian Stage of the Upper Cretaceous Period, approximately 89.8 to 86.3 million years ago. The Coniacian was a time of high global sea levels and widespread epicontinental seas. Marine environments were rich with ammonites, inoceramid bivalves, echinoids, marine reptiles, sharks, bony fish, and many other organisms.
Ammonites were among the most successful marine animals of the Mesozoic Era. They occupied many ecological roles, from active swimmers to opportunistic predators and scavengers. A living Coilopoceras would have moved through the Cretaceous sea using jet propulsion, with tentacles extending from the shell opening to capture prey and interact with its surroundings.
Classification and Morphology
Coilopoceras colleti belongs to the phylum Mollusca, class Cephalopoda, order Ammonoidea, and family Coilopoceratidae. The family is included among the acanthoceratoid ammonites, an important Upper Cretaceous ammonite group. Members of Coilopoceratidae are generally known for compressed shells, narrowly rounded to sharp venters, and ammonitic suture patterns.
The shell of Coilopoceras is typically lenticular, meaning lens-shaped when viewed from the side. This compressed form would have given the animal a streamlined profile in the water. The whorls are closely coiled and strongly overlapping, creating a refined, symmetrical appearance that is especially attractive in display specimens. Depending on preservation, natural shell texture, chamber structure, sutures, and subtle surface features may be visible.
Collector Appeal
This Coilopoceras colleti ammonite is an excellent fossil for collectors interested in Cretaceous ammonites, South American fossils, marine cephalopods, or unusual fossil localities. Ammonites from Peru are less commonly encountered in general fossil collecting than examples from classic European or North African localities, making this a distinctive addition to a fossil cabinet or educational display.
Its combination of scientific interest, Upper Cretaceous age, Peruvian origin, and recognisable ammonite form gives it strong appeal for fossil collectors, geology enthusiasts, teachers, students, and natural history buyers. It is suitable for display in a collection, study set, office, classroom, cabinet, or museum-style arrangement.
Authenticity and Presentation
This is a genuine fossil specimen from Bagua Grande, Amazonas, Peru. The photo shows the actual carefully chosen fossil you will receive, so the colour, form, preservation, and overall appearance can be viewed before purchase. Full sizing is shown in the photo.
The fossil includes a Certificate of Authenticity lifetime guarantee generic card, giving confidence that this is a real prehistoric specimen. This Coilopoceras colleti ammonite offers a fascinating connection to the Coniacian seas of the Upper Cretaceous and preserves the form of an extinct marine cephalopod that lived tens of millions of years ago.
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