{"id":6141,"date":"2020-01-12T11:10:47","date_gmt":"2020-01-12T11:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discover-geology\/ammonites\/"},"modified":"2021-08-20T11:57:12","modified_gmt":"2021-08-20T11:57:12","slug":"ammonites","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/ammonites\/","title":{"rendered":"Ammonites"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Ammonites<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology &mdash; Fossils and geological time<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/ammonites\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Ammonites&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/ammonites\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/ammonites\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=Ammonites&#038;body=%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/ammonites\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/ammonites\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>Ammonites lived during the periods of Earth history known as the Jurassic and Cretaceous. Together, these represent a time interval of about 140&nbsp;million years.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nautilus_Palau.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Ammonites are the extinct relatives of sea creatures such as the modern nautilus. Image: &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Nautilus_side.jpg&quot;&gt;Manuae&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_56108\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nautilus_Palau-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Ammonites are the extinct relatives of sea creatures such as the modern Nautilus from Palau. By Manuae (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nautilus_Palau.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Ammonites are the extinct relatives of sea creatures such as the modern nautilus. Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Nautilus_side.jpg\">Manuae<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Nautilus_Palau.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Ammonites are the extinct relatives of sea creatures such as the modern nautilus. Image: &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Nautilus_side.jpg&quot;&gt;Manuae&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_56108\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>The Jurassic Period began about 201 million years ago and the Cretaceous Period ended about 66 million years ago. The ammonites became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous, at roughly the same time as the dinosaurs disappeared. However, we know a lot about them because they are commonly found as fossils formed when the remains or traces of the animal became buried by sediments that later solidified into rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"#animal\">The animal<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#geologist\">The geologists&#8217; tool<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#myth\">Myths and legends<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3d-fossil\">3D fossil models<\/a> <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"animal\">The animal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ammonites were marine animals belonging to the&nbsp;phylum&nbsp;Mollusca and the class Cephalopoda. They had a coiled external shell similar to that of the modern nautilus. In other living cephalopods, e.g. octopus, squid and cuttlefish, the shells are small and internal, or absent.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AmmoniteCrossSection_sized.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;An artist&#8217;s impression of a simplified cross-section through a &#8216;living&#8217; ammonite. BGS (Chris Wardle) \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_26846\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AmmoniteCrossSection_sized-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"An artist&#039;s impression of a simplified cross-section through a &#039;living&#039; ammonite.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AmmoniteCrossSection_sized-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>An artist&#8217;s impression of a simplified cross-section through a &#8216;living&#8217; ammonite. BGS (Chris Wardle) \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AmmoniteCrossSection_sized.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;An artist&#8217;s impression of a simplified cross-section through a &#8216;living&#8217; ammonite. BGS (Chris Wardle) \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_26846\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">The body<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The ammonite&#8217;s shell was divided into chambers separated by walls known as septa (singular: septum). These strengthened the shell and stopped it from being crushed by the external water pressure. Ammonites could probably not withstand depths of more than 100\u00a0m.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26142\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26142\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-26142\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Jurassic_ammonite.jpg\" alt=\"Jurassic ammonite showing sutures.\" width=\"500\" height=\"588\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26142\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jurassic ammonite showing sutures. Reproduced with permission of the Natural History Museum.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The septa had frilled edges. Intricate lines of varying complexity known as sutures mark where the septa joined the shell wall.<\/p>\n<p>The ammonite itself lived in only the last chamber, the body-chamber; earlier chambers were filled with gas or fluid, which the ammonite was able to regulate in order to control its buoyancy and movement, much like a submarine.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_28901\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-28901\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-28901\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AmmoniteSuture-960x373.jpg\" alt=\"Ammonite suture. The septa of an ammonite had frilled edges: intricate lines, of varying complexity, known as sutures, mark where the septa joined the shell wall.\" width=\"960\" height=\"373\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AmmoniteSuture-960x373.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AmmoniteSuture-768x298.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/AmmoniteSuture.jpg 1094w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-28901\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ammonite suture. The sutures of an ammonite mark where the septa joined the shell wall. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Size<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ammonites show an enormous range in size, from the very small to the height of a human. For example, the Late Jurassic <em>Nannocardioceras<\/em> is very small; complete adults are rarely more than 20 mm in diameter. At the other extreme, huge ammonites have been discovered; for example. <em>Parapuzosia seppenradensis,<\/em> from the Late Cretaceous, is 1.95 m in diameter. It was found in Germany in 1895. If complete, this specimen would have had a diameter of about 2.55 m.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_45469\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-45469\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-45469\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Parapuzosia_seppenradensis_2-960x720.jpg\" alt=\"Parapuzosia seppenradensis \u2014 standing taller than a human.\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Parapuzosia_seppenradensis_2-960x720.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Parapuzosia_seppenradensis_2-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Parapuzosia_seppenradensis_2.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-45469\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Parapuzosia seppenradensis<\/em> with human for scale. Image: Gunnar Ries via Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Protection and flotation<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The most important functions of the ammonite shell were protection and flotation.<\/p>\n<p>Each complete 360\u00b0 coil is called a whorl. Except for the innermost whorl, the shell is made up of three layers. The thin innermost and outermost layers are composed of prisms of aragonite (a form of calcium carbonate). The thicker middle layer is nacreous (mother-of-pearl), formed of tiny tabular crystals of aragonite.<\/p>\n<p>In scientific literature, it has been the convention to illustrate ammonites with their body-chambers at the top. This is the opposite of their position in life.<\/p>\n<p>Ribs, spines and tubercles (knobs), which frequently adorn the shell, may have strengthened it, but they may also have provided physical protection and camouflage against various predators, including marine reptiles (such as ichthyosaurs), crustaceans, fish and even other ammonites. They also helped to regulate buoyancy and stability, as well as being sexual display features.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Feeding<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Ammonites probably fed on small plankton, or vegetation growing on the sea floor. They may also have eaten slow-moving animals that lived on the sea bottom, such as foraminifera, ostracods, small crustaceans, young brachiopods, corals and bryozoa, as well as drifting, slow-swimming or dead sea creatures.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Classification and preservation<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As with living animals, ammonites are classified into species and genera whose names must be Latin words or words that have been &#8216;Latinised&#8217;. The proper scientific name of any particular ammonite consists of the name of the species, preceded by the name of the genus to which it belongs, plus the name of the first person to describe it and the date it was first described.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26149\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26149\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-26149\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/coiled_shell.jpg\" alt=\"The coiled shell is generally the only part of the ammonite to be preserved as a fossil.\" width=\"500\" height=\"164\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26149\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The coiled shell is generally the only part of the ammonite to be preserved as a fossil. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Some genera of ammonites had shells that were coiled in more bizarre ways than the usual spiral. These are known as heteromorphs, from the Greek <em>heteros<\/em> meaning &#8216;different&#8217; and <em>morphe<\/em> meaning &#8216;form or shape&#8217;.<\/p>\n<p>The coiled shell is generally the only part of the ammonite to be preserved as a fossil. As well as being aesthetically pleasing and popular with fossil collectors, they are of particular value to geologists.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"geologist\">The geologists\u2019 tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The use of ammonites in&nbsp;stratigraphy&nbsp;was pioneered in the 1850s by two Germans \u2014 Friedrich Quenstedt of T\u00fcbingen (1809\u20131889) and his one-time pupil, Albert Oppel of Munich (1831\u20131865). Their work was based on the ammonites of the Swabian and Franconian Alb of southern Germany \u2014 the eastern extension of the Jura Mountains of France and Switzerland, from which the Jurassic Period takes its name.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"owl-carousel carousel-primary-color carousel owl-theme thumbs-carousel-js\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Friedrich_Quenstedt.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Friedrich Quenstedt (1809\u20131889).\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Friedrich Quenstedt (1809\u20131889). Courtesy of Staatliches Museum f\u00fcr Naturkunde, Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Albert_Oppel.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Albert Oppel (1831\u20131865).\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Albert Oppel (1831\u20131865). Courtesy of Staatliches Museum f\u00fcr Naturkunde, Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Guide fossils<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ammonites make excellent guide fossils for stratigraphy because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>they evolved rapidly so that each ammonite species has a relatively short life span<\/li><li>they are found in many types of marine&nbsp;sedimentary rocks<\/li><li>they are relatively common and reasonably easy to identify<\/li><li>they have a worldwide geographical distribution<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The rapidity of ammonite evolution is the single most important reason for their superiority over other fossils for the purposes of&nbsp;correlation. Such correlation can be on a worldwide scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ammonites can be used to distinguish intervals of geological time of less than 200&nbsp;000 years&#8217; duration. In terms of Earth history, this is very precise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ammonites through time <\/h2>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jurassicCretaceousMap-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Map showing the main areas of Jurassic rocks (coloured blue) and Cretaceous rocks (coloured green) in Britain. The foreshore and cliffs at Lyme Regis and Whitby are famous collecting localities for ammonites and other fossils.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/jurassicCretaceousMap.jpg\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Map showing the main areas of Jurassic rocks (coloured blue) and Cretaceous rocks (coloured green) in Britain. The foreshore and cliffs at Lyme Regis and Whitby are famous collecting localities for ammonites and other fossils. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Ammonite fossils are traditionally illustrated&nbsp;&#8216;upside down&#8217; with the body chamber shown at the top. However, in life they would have swum the other way up. <\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<div  class=\"owl-carousel carousel-primary-color carousel owl-theme thumbs-carousel-js\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/mantelliceras.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Mantelliceras (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian). Image credit: BGS \u00a9UKRI. All rights Reserved.\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Mantelliceras<\/em> (Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Mantelliceras-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Mantelliceras. Artist&#039;s impression.\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Mantelliceras<\/em>. Artist&#8217;s impression of living creature. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/endemoceras.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Endemoceras (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian).\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Endemoceras<\/em> (Early Cretaceous, Hauterivian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Endemoceras-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Endemoceras. Artist&#039;s impression.\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Endemoceras<\/em>. Artist&#8217;s impression of living creature. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/pavlovia.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Pavlovia (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian).\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Pavlovia<\/em> (Late Jurassic, Kimmeridgian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Pavlovia-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Pavlovia. Artist&#039;s impression.\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Pavlovia<\/em>. Artist&#8217;s impression of living creature. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/stephanoceras.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Stephanoceras (Mid Jurassic, Bajocian).\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Stephanoceras<\/em> (Mid Jurassic, Bajocian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Stephanoceras-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Stephanoceras. Artist&#039;s impression.\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Stephanoceras<\/em>. Artist&#8217;s impression of living creature. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/aegoceras.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Aegoceras (Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian).\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Aegoceras<\/em> (Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian). BGS \u00a9 .<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"item\"><figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/Aegoceras-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Aegoceras. Artist&#039;s impression.\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Aegoceras<\/em>. Artist&#8217;s impression of living creature. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"myth\">Myths and legends<\/h2>\n\n\n<div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Gods<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The ancient Greek god Zeus Ammon is depicted on coins from Cyrene (in modern day Libya) and in sculpture by a head with curling ram\u2019s horns. Many genera of ammonites have names ending in &#8211;<em>ceras<\/em> from the Greek word \u2018<em>keras<\/em>\u2019 meaning horn.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_45445\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-45445\" style=\"width: 796px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-45445 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Zeus_Ammon_Antikensammlung_Munchen-796x960.jpg\" alt=\"Ammonites take their name from the Egyptian god Amun, known to the Greeks as Zeus Ammon.\" width=\"796\" height=\"960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Zeus_Ammon_Antikensammlung_Munchen-796x960.jpg 796w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Zeus_Ammon_Antikensammlung_Munchen-768x927.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Zeus_Ammon_Antikensammlung_Munchen.jpg 1104w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-45445\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ammonites take their name from the Egyptian god Amun, known to the Greeks as Zeus Ammon. Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Zeus_Ammon_(Antikensammlung_M%C3%BCnchen).jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Dan Mihai Pitea<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Snakes<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Early works of natural history compared the coiled form of the ammonite with that of a serpent, and ammonites became widely known as snakestones. In order to perpetuate the legend that ammonites were serpents that had been turned into stone, local collectors and dealers in fossils frequently carved heads on them.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"303\" height=\"337\" class=\"wp-image-19189 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/AMM4.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Saints<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The snakestone legend is particularly associated with the town of Whitby in North Yorkshire, the home of the Anglo-Saxon abbess St Hilda (614\u2013680 AD). The town&#8217;s coat-of-arms includes three &#8216;snakestones&#8217;. Used as charms, ammonites were thought to be a protection against serpents and a cure for baldness and infertility.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26198\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26198\" style=\"width: 397px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-26198 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Whitby_coat_of_arms.jpg\" alt=\"Whitby coat-of-arms.\" width=\"397\" height=\"454\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26198\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Whitby coat-of-arms. Image courtesy of Whitby Town Council.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3d-fossil\">3D fossil models<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many of the fossils in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/geological-data\/national-geological-repository\/palaeontology-collections\/\">BGS palaeontology collections<\/a>&nbsp;are available to view and download as 3D models. To view this fossil, or others like it, in 3D visit <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.3d-fossils.ac.uk\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\">GB3D Type Fossils<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P885148_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Derolytoceras radstockense &lt;\/em&gt;(Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_94316\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P885148_1332x690px-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Derolytoceras radstockense (BRSUG 2877 \u2013 Holotype). Pliensbachian Age (Jurassic Period) (182.7 \u2013 190.8 Ma B.P.)\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P885148_1332x690px-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Derolytoceras radstockense <\/em>(Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P885148_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Derolytoceras radstockense &lt;\/em&gt;(Early Jurassic, Pliensbachian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_94316\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cox, B M. 1995. Ammonites: fossil focus. (Nottingham, UK: British Geological Survey.)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<section   id=\"latest-content-9858-block_5ed4a25f9ddd5\" class=\"grid-section  primary-background   \" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row header-of-section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>You may also be interested in<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row grid-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Ammonite p815563\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Discovering Geology<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology introduces a range of geoscience topics to school-age students and learners of all ages.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fishThroughTime-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"fishThroughTime\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fishThroughTime.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\">Fossils and geological time<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Take a look at the history of the Earth, from its formation over four and a half billion years ago to present times.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/P550300-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"P550300\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/P550300.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\">Fossils<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>What is a fossil and why do we study them? Explore the different methods of fossil preservation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36563,"parent":16685,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"on","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"ammonites, ammonite, fossils","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"71634,66936,72370,63978,50708,15877","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Ammonites - British Geological Survey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ammonites lived during the periods of Earth history known as the Jurassic and Cretaceous. 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