Ammonite: real or replica?

[cavetrain]

Hello, fossil friends!

 

  I'm a first-time poster to the forum. I've had this little fellow for several years now. I found it hanging out among the gravel decorating an apartment complex in the southwestern United States; Tucson, Arizona, to be specific. I cannot explain why it was there, unless it was somehow ignored as a rock, or discarded by someone who no longer wanted it, but all the same, I was aware of the general shape of an ammonite, and brought it home with me because, well, its spiral was pretty!

 

There are several dry rivers about the area, but I know next to nothing about where these little guys might be found. I can offer that Tucson is well-known for its gem and mineral show, where one can often find such things for sale. It appears to have flecks of turquoise, which is common in the area, among so many other bits and pieces I cannot identify. Otherwise, I have no other information to offer regarding it, so I leave it to some of you vastly experienced individuals!

 

  A complete novice, I'm attaching several photographs, and pray you'll find it in your hearts to be kind with me in my quest to find out the genuineness of this neat little buddy. Included in the images are my attempted measurements, as indicated. In advance, I thank you!

[connorp]

Welcome to the forum!

 

Given the tool marks on the back, this was likely discarded. I would suspect that the innermost whorls have been carved.

[FranzBernhard]

 

Welcome to TFF from Austria!

 

Thanks for the good pics and the detailed information concerning this specimen.

 

Real ammonite, but the center is not preserved. In search for that, a few spirals were carved. Later on, it was decided not to be nice enough and it ended as a landscaping rock.

 

Given no real provenance, a specif ID could be difficult, but there are many knowledgeable members here on TFF which could be able to narrow it down a bit .

 

Franz Bernhard

[caterpillar]

Maybe a Cheloniceras from Morocco