Ammonite fossil

About 6 inches in length and 5 inches across. Ammonites are one of the most recognisable fossils around, this is due to their familiar spiral shape shell, reminiscent of what we know as a snail shell, though these creatures are not related to snails at all! They were marine animals, present between 240 - 65 million years ago, who had a coiled external shell similar to that of the modern nautilus, and although they resembled a modern day nautilus, these molluscs are more closely related to living coleoids (i.e. octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish!) These stunningly beautiful ammonites have been sliced in half and polished to expose the amazing colourful chambers inside the fossil.