Orthoceras - FOS 009

FOS 009

Orthoceras Chamber

Location: Morocco

Details: polished in matrix

So just a quick post before I go insect collecting (I've already added 5 new specimens to the collection today NH 056-NH 060). I haven't had a fossil post in awhile so I present you guys with my Orthoceras. These are fairly easy to identify and most people enjoy them as pieces of art as they polish up nicely. I generally don't like polished up specimens but I had to make an exception for this one as they are usually only sold polished and needed one for my collection. I bought this one at the Rock, Mineral, and Gem Show in Syracuse, New York a few years back.

Orthoceras' were cephalopods and you would probably recognize their body shape by clicking the link. I may have some additional details on this particular specimen back home, but I'll have to wait before I can verify any of that (I might have a label indicating where this specimen was originally found, which is important for scientific purposes). They lived between the Ordovician and Triassic periods, and fed upon small marine animals. They generally didn't grow to be too big, only about 6 inches in length.

EDIT: From Morocco, Devonian age.