Astracanthus Hybodont Shark Tooth Fossil | Faringdon Sponge Gravels | Jurassic-Cretaceous | Oxfordshire UK | Genuine Specimen
£ 36.00
This listing is for a genuine Astracanthus hybodont shark tooth fossil,
discovered in the renowned Faringdon Sponge Gravels, a fossil-rich deposit located at Wicklesham Pit, near Faringdon, Oxfordshire, UK. These gravels are known for containing a unique mix of reworked marine fossils from the Jurassic that were redeposited into Cretaceous (Aptian) sediments.Geological & Stratigraphic Context:
• Locality: Wicklesham Pit, Faringdon, Oxfordshire, UK
• Formation: Faringdon Sponge Gravels (reworked)
• Primary Origin: Jurassic, likely from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Late Jurassic)
• Reworked Into: Lower Cretaceous, Aptian Stage (~125 to 113 million years ago)
• Depositional Environment: Shallow marine channel lag deposit with high-energy reworking, rich in sponges, echinoids, brachiopods, and vertebrate remainsFossil Type & Species:
• Type: Fossil Shark Tooth
• Genus: Astracanthus (a form genus associated with dermal denticles or teeth of hybodont sharks)
• Order: Hybodontiformes
• Superfamily: Hybodontoidea
• Family: HybodontidaeMorphological Features:
• Tooth form typically features blunt cusps with robust structure, suited for crushing shelled prey (durophagy)
• Ornamentation may include ridged or striated surfaces, depending on position in the jaw and preservation
• Characteristic dark brown to black fossil enamelNotable Details:
• Hybodont sharks were dominant in Mesozoic marine and freshwater ecosystems and represent a now-extinct lineage of elasmobranchs
• Fossils from the Faringdon Sponge Gravels are particularly valued for their preservation and geological complexity
• Astracanthus remains are less common than other vertebrate material in these gravels, adding rarity to this pieceBiozone:
• While precise biozonation is complicated due to reworking, the tooth likely originates from the Kimmeridgian or earlier and was re-deposited into Aptian strataSpecimen Specifics & Scale:
• Scale Rule Squares/Cube = 1cm — See listing photo for accurate sizing
• You will receive the exact specimen shown, hand-picked for quality and completeness Certification & Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. Ethically sourced and professionally curated, this specimen makes an excellent addition to any fossil or palaeontology collection. A fine opportunity to own a rare Astracanthus Hybodont shark tooth from the famous Faringdon Sponge Gravels, where Jurassic and Cretaceous worlds collide in a single fossil.
discovered in the renowned Faringdon Sponge Gravels, a fossil-rich deposit located at Wicklesham Pit, near Faringdon, Oxfordshire, UK. These gravels are known for containing a unique mix of reworked marine fossils from the Jurassic that were redeposited into Cretaceous (Aptian) sediments.Geological & Stratigraphic Context:
• Locality: Wicklesham Pit, Faringdon, Oxfordshire, UK
• Formation: Faringdon Sponge Gravels (reworked)
• Primary Origin: Jurassic, likely from the Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Late Jurassic)
• Reworked Into: Lower Cretaceous, Aptian Stage (~125 to 113 million years ago)
• Depositional Environment: Shallow marine channel lag deposit with high-energy reworking, rich in sponges, echinoids, brachiopods, and vertebrate remainsFossil Type & Species:
• Type: Fossil Shark Tooth
• Genus: Astracanthus (a form genus associated with dermal denticles or teeth of hybodont sharks)
• Order: Hybodontiformes
• Superfamily: Hybodontoidea
• Family: HybodontidaeMorphological Features:
• Tooth form typically features blunt cusps with robust structure, suited for crushing shelled prey (durophagy)
• Ornamentation may include ridged or striated surfaces, depending on position in the jaw and preservation
• Characteristic dark brown to black fossil enamelNotable Details:
• Hybodont sharks were dominant in Mesozoic marine and freshwater ecosystems and represent a now-extinct lineage of elasmobranchs
• Fossils from the Faringdon Sponge Gravels are particularly valued for their preservation and geological complexity
• Astracanthus remains are less common than other vertebrate material in these gravels, adding rarity to this pieceBiozone:
• While precise biozonation is complicated due to reworking, the tooth likely originates from the Kimmeridgian or earlier and was re-deposited into Aptian strataSpecimen Specifics & Scale:
• Scale Rule Squares/Cube = 1cm — See listing photo for accurate sizing
• You will receive the exact specimen shown, hand-picked for quality and completeness Certification & Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity. Ethically sourced and professionally curated, this specimen makes an excellent addition to any fossil or palaeontology collection. A fine opportunity to own a rare Astracanthus Hybodont shark tooth from the famous Faringdon Sponge Gravels, where Jurassic and Cretaceous worlds collide in a single fossil.
