Description
Offered here is a VERY RARE and scientifically important multi-block fossil featuring the heteromorph ammonite Hoploscaphites nebrascensis, from the Fox Hills Formation, part of the Pierre Shale Group, South Dakota, USA. This formation preserves some of the last ammonite faunas before the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event.
Hoploscaphites nebrascensis belongs to the family Scaphitidae, superfamily Scaphitoidea, and order Ammonitida. As a heteromorph ammonite, it exhibits a shell partially uncoiled into a hooked shape, representing a significant evolutionary departure from the typical tightly coiled ammonite form. This morphology is often interpreted as an adaptation to a unique ecological niche within the shallow, epicontinental Western Interior Seaway.
Geological & Scientific Details:
- Scientific Name: Hoploscaphites nebrascensis
- Fossil Type: Heteromorph Ammonite (Multi Block)
- Geological Period: Cretaceous
- Stage: Maastrichtian (approx. 72–66 million years ago)
- Formation: Fox Hills Formation (Pierre Shale Group)
- Location Found: South Dakota, United States
- Order: Ammonitida
- Superfamily: Scaphitoidea
- Family: Scaphitidae
- Morphological Features: Partially uncoiled heteromorph shell with fine ribbing and tuberculation; multi-block matrix includes multiple ammonite individuals
- Depositional Environment: Marginal to shallow marine, Western Interior Seaway
Hoploscaphites nebrascensis is particularly notable in palaeontology as it appears in strata very close to the K–Pg boundary, and some evidence suggests it may have been among the last surviving ammonites before extinction.
All of our Fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens & come with a Certificate of Authenticity.
Please Note:
- Scale Rule Squares / Cube = 1cm – full sizing is shown in the photo
- The fossil pictured is the actual item you will receive, carefully selected for quality, preservation, and scientific relevance
This specimen is ideal for collectors, researchers, educators, or anyone passionate about the fascinating story of life on Earth just before the age of dinosaurs ended.
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