Fossil skeleton - Lituites - 6 cm - 14 cm
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Description from the seller
Rare Cephalopod Lituites - The Primordial “Pastor’s Rod” - 460 Million Years
Description of the Lot
An incredible specimen of Lituites sp., an extinct nautiloid cephalopod genus dating to the Middle Ordovician (about 460 million years ago). This fossil is a true gem for collectors, coming from the famous deposits of southern China.
Unlike common ammonites, Lituites features a unique and iconic morphology defined as a “pastor’s rod”: the shell begins with a perfect spiral (juvenile phase) and then develops into a long straight section called fragmocone (adult phase).
Technical Details
Genus: Lituites (Nautiloid Cephalopod)
Era: Ordovician (Paleozoic)
Age: about 460,000,000 years
Origin: China
Fossil Size: ~11 cm total length
Matrix Size: ~14 cm x 6 cm
Why add it to your collection?
Exceptional Preservation: The fossil emerges from the matrix in high relief, allowing a view of the three-dimensional shell structure. The initial spiral is intact and well defined, a detail rarely found in specimens of this length.
Natural Aesthetics: The preparation is masterfully done, leaving the rock matrix in its natural, rough state. This color contrast between the fossil and surrounding rock makes it a perfect display piece.
Paleontological Importance: Often mistaken by non-experts for a gastropod (snail), Lituites was actually an active predator of primordial seas, an ancestor of the modern nautilus. Owning a piece from the Ordovician means possessing one of the oldest testimonies of complex life on Earth.
Condition: Excellent, fossil 100% natural, no chemical reconstruction or invasive resins.
Rare Cephalopod Lituites - The Primordial “Pastor’s Rod” - 460 Million Years
Description of the Lot
An incredible specimen of Lituites sp., an extinct nautiloid cephalopod genus dating to the Middle Ordovician (about 460 million years ago). This fossil is a true gem for collectors, coming from the famous deposits of southern China.
Unlike common ammonites, Lituites features a unique and iconic morphology defined as a “pastor’s rod”: the shell begins with a perfect spiral (juvenile phase) and then develops into a long straight section called fragmocone (adult phase).
Technical Details
Genus: Lituites (Nautiloid Cephalopod)
Era: Ordovician (Paleozoic)
Age: about 460,000,000 years
Origin: China
Fossil Size: ~11 cm total length
Matrix Size: ~14 cm x 6 cm
Why add it to your collection?
Exceptional Preservation: The fossil emerges from the matrix in high relief, allowing a view of the three-dimensional shell structure. The initial spiral is intact and well defined, a detail rarely found in specimens of this length.
Natural Aesthetics: The preparation is masterfully done, leaving the rock matrix in its natural, rough state. This color contrast between the fossil and surrounding rock makes it a perfect display piece.
Paleontological Importance: Often mistaken by non-experts for a gastropod (snail), Lituites was actually an active predator of primordial seas, an ancestor of the modern nautilus. Owning a piece from the Ordovician means possessing one of the oldest testimonies of complex life on Earth.
Condition: Excellent, fossil 100% natural, no chemical reconstruction or invasive resins.
Details
Number of objects
1
Scientific name
Lituites
Country of origin
China
Geological period
Ordovician, Middle (470 - 458.4 million years)
Condition
Natural
Height
6 cm
Width
14 cm
Authenticity
Original/official
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