Search the Community

Hi everyone, I have recently acquired this Xipheroceras from an old collection... it comes from the upper sinemurian of Burgundy in France. The genus Xipheroceras is easily recognisable by its spines on the edge of the whorls but would you have any idea for the species? I have not found much information for the moment.. there is Xipheroceras ziphus, trimodum, drudrieseri but I have no idea of which it could be and if these are the only species I know but there are maybe more... thanks in advance for your help!

Just thought some people might be interested in a quick look at this. My wife found it lying on the beach at Charmouth several years ago, after a bunch of experienced collectors ahead of us had the misfortune to walk right over it. It's just come back from being prepped by the excellent Craig Chivers. Here it was after I'd attempted my own prep on it, and rapidly gave up. The nodule was heavily pyritic, the ammonite had delicate spines, and I felt that it was beyond my level of expertise. Here it is today, back from being prepared properly. It's a battered old ammonite, with a crushed body chamber and a centre that was badly beset with pyrite, but I do love ammonites that have character. I haven't been to Charmouth for years, much to my regret, but this is definitely our best ammonite from that location. No idea what this weird impression is. It looks a bit too rounded to be fracturing from the body chamber being compressed, but any thoughts welcome.