Ammonites

Just like many reptile keepers; here at Ridgeway we are also fans of the natural world; modern and ancient, particularly Dinosaurs!

Ammonites are probably the most recognisable fossils, known by many they are usually one of the first acquired when starting a collection due to their availability. Their familiar spiral shape shell is incredibly iconic and whilst it appears similar to a snail shell, these animals were not that closely related to snails. They were marine animals, present between 240 – 65 million years ago, that had a coiled segmented shell similar to what we see in the present day nautilus. Ammonites are molluscs that are most closely related to living Cephalopods, i.e. octopus, squid, and cuttlefish.