Fossil Scallop Shell Bed from France, 20 Million Years Old

This outstanding fossilised skeleton is that of the ancestral crocodile species Steneosaurus bollensis that lived during the early Jurassic period. The skeleton, complete with armoured plates, has been exquisitely preserved and recovered from the Holzmaden Oil Shale of south Germany. The crocodile was once buried in fine, muddy sediment 195 million years ago at the bottom of the Tethys Ocean, which once existed between Europe and Africa. The calm, deep water provided a rare anoxic (without oxygen) environment, which prevented the skeleton from any significant decomposition before burial. The mud has since been compressed into oil shale, leaving the immense skeleton completely in-tact. This specimen is one of the few skeletons of Steneosaurus bollensis ever to be discovered. We can deduce much about the life of this reptile from the size and perfect preservation of the piece. Similar to present-day crocodiles, we can see that the two front limbs of the Steneosaurus are much shorter than the back two. This indicates that crocodile ancestors were bipedal; indeed, we believe that crocodiles evolved from the same reptile species as the dinosaurs and airborne pterosaurs. Dinosaurs ruled the lands during the late Triassic and early Jurassic. This made terrestrial life increasingly difficult for ancestral crocodiles, as there were many predators and prey was scarce. However, the seas were rich in fish, shellfish, starfish, crabs, squid… You can even see fossil belemnite guards (bullet shells of squid-like organisms) and the beautiful spiral shells of ammonites preserved around the crocodile skeleton...

Large rare cubed yellow fluorite formation from China mounted on a mirrored steel base. Since 1986 Dale Rogers has been sourcing the grandest fossils, crystals and minerals from a...

This unique fossil piece of scallops (also called Saint Jacques shells, or scientifically : gigantopecten restitutensis) is from around 20 millions years ago. It was found in the sou...

The extraordinary fossil Harpes trilobite, measuring eight four millimetres overall, is a wonderfully articulated and fine specimen. Exotic trilobites have influenced some of the most iconic sci-fi films and helped shape the structure of some of the most sophisticated architectural buildings in modern times. The Harpes trilobite, with its unique patterning and streamlined aesthetic, is a species that never fails to intrigue. Its wide, heavily pitted brim, fringe with a curled rim, and elegant taper to the point of both cephalon long spines make it a true enigma. The eyes set back high on the glabella, and the well-defined thoracic segments add to its allure for inquiring minds. With reference once more to the Martian-looking brim, this wide brim with innumerable pitting could have aided the invertebrate lift, much like a hydrofoil. Again, this is the theory at this time. Palaeontologists theorise the possible functions of these anatomical features, either being a wide sieve to filter bottom sediments for food or to detect movement, a sensory organ. Over the 250,000,000-year range of the trilobites, many different morphological adaptions developed from free swimmers to bottom sifters. The expanded and pitted cephalic fringe, a distinct anatomical development seen in harpetids and trinucleids types, including the Harpes trilobite, is a significant area of study in palaeontology. This species, featured in a beautifully designed lucite display case...