Description This listing features a classic and well-preserved fossil echinoid (sea urchin) of the species Clypeus plotti, collected from the Inferior Oolite Formation, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. This authentic Jurassic specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, and the photos show the exact fossil you will receive. Clypeus plotti is one of the most iconic echinoids of the British Jurassic. It is part of the: Order: Clypeasteroida Family: Clypeidae These echinoids lived during the Bajocian Stage of the Middle Jurassic, approximately 170–168 million years ago. The Inferior Oolite Group, where this fossil was found, represents shallow marine carbonate platforms—a warm, tropical sea teeming with invertebrate life. This region of the Cotswolds is famed for yielding some of the best-preserved specimens of Clypeus, which were once so common and distinctive that they were colloquially known as “pound stones” or “pound echinoids” due to their disc-like shape and abundance. Morphological Features: Large, thick discoidal test (shell) with a slightly domed profile Central apical system with petaloid ambulacra Radial symmetry with subtle ornamentation Generally smooth surface with five faint petal-like grooves These echinoids lived buried just beneath the sediment surface and were likely deposit feeders, sifting nutrients from the surrounding substrate. Specimen Information: Species: Clypeus plotti Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin) Test Geological Unit: Inferior Oolite Formation Geological Age: Middle Jurassic (Bajocian Stage) Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK Depositional Environment: Shallow warm marine shelf (oolitic limestone) Family: Clypeidae This is an excellent specimen for any fossil enthusiast or collector of Jurassic marine invertebrates. It also makes a great educational example of Mesozoic echinoderm evolution and shallow marine ecosystems. Scale rule squares/cube = 1cm. Please refer to the photos for full sizing and detail. All of our Fossils are 100% Genuine Specimens & come with a Certificate of Authenticity.
