Cleoniceras sp.Cretaceous- Albian Stage (100 Million Years Ago) Mahajanga Province, Madagascar Small approx. size: 1'-1.25"Medium approx. size: 1.5"Large approx. size: 1.75"-2.25" Choose a size from the drop down menu and receive a hand selected Fire Ammonite. Each one is unique and may vary from those pictured. Fire Ammonites are fossils that have become coated in an opalescent layer after decades of compression and mineralization, called Ammolite. Our iridescent ammonites, sourced from Madagascar, include Cleoniceras species displaying a dazzling opalescent effect. Found in the jungles of Mahajanga on the north west coast of Madagascar, these ‘fire ammonites’ are perfect display pieces for your home. When the ammonite was alive, nacre was the main component of the shell: after the organism’s death, the shell fossilized over time to form aragonite. The ammolite can also contain many other minerals such as calcite and pyrite. Ammolite is not only rare for its vibrant display of colors, but also for the fact that it is biogenic. Most gemstones are not produced by living creatures. Within the aragonite shell of ammolite, thin platelets are present. When light is shone on an ammolite specimen, light is reflected from these platelet layers and interference occurs. This leads to the vivid spectrum of color observed in ammolite, usually consisting of red and green hues. Thin platelet layers tend to result in blue and violet shades, whereas thick platelet layers often lead to an iridescent effect mostly consisting of the usual greens and reds.
