#Upper Chalk fossil

[uk-fossils]

A-Grade British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata striatum | Santonian Upper Chalk Broadstairs Kent UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

This listing features an exceptional A-grade British Chalk fossil echinoid – Echinocorys scutata striatum, collected from the Upper Chalk Formation of the Santonian stage in the Late Cretaceous, at Broadstairs, Kent, UK. This rare and well-preserved subspecies is notable for its subtle yet diagnostic striations that distinguish it from other Echinocorys forms.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species/Subspecies: Echinocorys scutata striatum

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Upper Chalk (Chalk Group)

Location: Broadstairs, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (See photo for full sizing details)

Specimen: You will receive the exact item shown in the photos

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

Echinocorys scutata striatum is a subtly ornamented form of the well-known Echinocorys genus, characterised by faint surface striations visible under favourable lighting. This subspecies is found in Santonian chalk beds and reflects evolutionary adaptation to infaunal living in soft sedimentary marine environments.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Subspecies: scutata striatum

Depositional Environment: Quiet, shallow marine carbonate platform dominated by coccolith deposition; excellent preservation conditions for echinoids

Morphological Features: Subglobular to slightly domed test with fine striations on the surface, well-formed ambulacral petals, and centrally located periproct and peristome; striations may assist in subspecies-level identification

Biozone: Occurs within established Santonian biostratigraphic intervals; often found alongside inoceramid bivalves and foraminifera used in chalk zonation

Notable: This subspecies is of particular interest for evolutionary and stratigraphic research in Late Cretaceous marine invertebrates

Why This Fossil Is Special

This specimen of Echinocorys scutata striatum is a rare and desirable example from the Kent coast. Its distinct surface ornamentation and strong preservation make it a fine representative of Santonian echinoids, suitable for collectors, researchers, and educational use.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

You will receive the exact specimen shown in the listing photos

Ethically collected from reputable geological sites in the UK

Ideal for collectors, educators, museums, or natural history enthusiasts

Bring home a rare and elegant piece of Britain’s fossil heritage with this Echinocorys scutata striatum fossil echinoid from the Upper Chalk of Broadstairs, Kent—a scientifically significant sea urchin from over 85 million years ago.

[a-book-of-creatures]

The Deinotherium from Paris Avant les Hommes. Why does it look like a giant mole? Well, turns out this is reasoned out within the text, and since at least one person wanted to know it here it is (any translation errors are mine). @glarnboudin hope this answers all your questions!

...

"Since we are on the chapter of singular animals, I shall let you see another one from the quaternary epoch, whose history is no less strange. It shall serve as an introduction to antediluvian mammals, although it belongs, I believe, to the molasse which, according to Beudant, succeeded the Parisian chalk wherever it is missing. Look, there it is showing up; but it disappeared behind that hillock. Let's see, let us sit beneath this tree and it might come back. In the meantime, let us chat".

"Parbleu, I recognized it perfectly: it is the dinotherium giganteum. I had seen in the Rue Vivienne, its bones shown to the public for a bit of money, for scientists have to be industrious, one way or another, to avoid dying of hunger. Whatever the case, they showed me an enormous fossil head, 1.30 meters long and 1 meter wide, that is to say bigger than the biggest Indian elephants. It had two tusks located, against all analogy of what we know of animals alive or fossil, not in the upper jaw, but in the lower; not in the place of the canines, but in the place of the incisors; not pointing skyward, but lowered towards the ground; not sticking out of the mouth, but emerging from two holes that had to have been in the lower lip. Truly, I said to myself, this is enough to embarrass a wiser man than I, and, after many contradictory thoughts for half an hour, I finally took a side. Well, I said to myself, the die is cast: despite all my misgivings, one must have to make of this dinotherium giganteum a walrus or a seal, like Mr. Buckland said; or an elephant, as presumed Mr. de Blainville; a tapir or a pangolin, as G. Cuvier wrote; or a whale, as some German paleontologists think, and yet these animals have no analogy among them. Let's see, let's decide, I said to myself: this shall be…"

"A mole", said the genie in a small, acerbic, and mocking voice, and accompanied these words with a long peal of laughter that disconcerted me.

"A mole! But good sir, a mole hasn't the least connection, the least resemblance with a tapir, a whale, an elephant; and what would the authors I just cited say of this?"

"Your authors can say what they want; but I shall insist that the carcass that you had seen was that of a mole".

"That's impossible! See, here are the engravings they gave me at the door, judge for yourself".

The devil put his walking stick between his legs, put his glasses on his nose, took my images with his thumb and the other fingers of his left hand; then, running the index finger of his right hand on the figure representing the animal's head, he said:

"And first of all, my dear scholar, you will see that this head is 1 meter 60 centimeters at its greatest length, and 92 centimeters wide; so therefore it could not be less than 1.32 m long and 1 meter wide when it was covered with muscle and skin. But the average size of the head of a mammalian quadruped is at least a quarter of the length of its body. The dinotherium therefore was at least 5 to 6 meters long, which equals the size of the largest elephants. I am being conservative in choosing those dimensions; and I suppose that this carcass found on the banks of the Rhine by Professor Klipstein is not the biggest dinotherium the species provided, which is more than probable, since we have a few other fragments that are proportionally larger, and which suggest that the animal keeping us busy must have been longer than 6 meters".

"And you conclude from there that it should have been a mole?"

"One moment! Notice the enormous cavity destined to receive the bones of the nose".

"Yes, of the trunk".

"Who said anything about a trunk? Where do you see a trunk?"

"Scientists..."

"Why do you want to see a trunk instead of a nose? Take the skeleton of a pig or that of a mole, you will find at the same place enormous muscle impressions. Would you then conclude that the pig or the mole has a trunk? So the dinotherium has a nose, but a long nose, mobile, thick, powerful, good for searching in the earth; in short, a mole's nose. Do you deny that? Is it more unrealistic that an animal has a nose like any other animal's, than to have an anomaly instead?"

"It is true that by coldly calculating probability, one must believe more easily in analogies than anomalies, this seems more logical; but a mole!"

"Notice, my dear, that the orbits or holes of the eyes are extremely small in comparison to those of all known animals, and that they do not close in the posterior part; and, in fact, why would the dinotherium have eyes proportionally larger than those of a mole since, having to live in the darkness of a subterranean home, these organs would have been no more use to it than to the mole. As animals who are forced to push soil in front of them and by digging with their head, the frontal bones are short, but strong and very thick; the face of the occiput, of great dimension, forms with them a 130-140 degree angle, which you only see in whales. The prodigious muscles that move this colossal head gave it crushing strength. The chrysochlore, or Cape golden mole (talpa asiatica, L.) alone can offer you some analogy with the dinotherium in this aspect. You conceive that an animal forced to fray itself an underground passage, three or four meters in diameter, will need that prodigious strength in the neck muscles, strength that can conly compare, as I said, with that of a whale. And despite that it must have often encountered obstacles, stones, tree roots, despite living in the soft and deep soils, and the earth that the rivers, such as the Rhine, and the great flows of water carry and accumulate with the centuries in the basins that they run through and inundate every year. It would have been stopped dead in its tracks if nature had not given it a pickaxe to tear out those obstacles. This pickaxe, there it is: these are the tusks emerging from the lower jaw and directed earthward. They resemble, my word, those forked hoes that vineyard-keepers use in rocky or freshly cleared earth. There, look, they must have had terrifying strength, if we can judge by the deep depressions carved in the temporal bones to lodge the muscles that moved and directed the lower jaw. Besides, these tusks or teeth offered, relative to their shape, and especially in the place that they occupy, an example of a structure unique in all creation”.

“As for its other teeth”, added the demon, pointing his finger at the figure depicting them, “you will see that they are five in number. The first is cutting at its anterior part, the third has three hills, and the other two; from that one must conclude that the animal lived on roots, rhizomes, and tubers that lived underground. But, I ask you, what good would a trunk be for it? It would have certainly been a hindrance, and that is all”.

“I concede that this head is very good for digging in the ground, but that does not prove that the animal lived underground”.

“Let us examine the other fragments”, said the genie. “The scapula is long, narrow, and looks entirely like that of a mole. Observation has proven that all animals who have it in this shape use their forelegs in constant, painstaking motions, requiring great muscular strength. Thus this form of scapula, rare in mammals, is very common in birds, because the latter need great wing strength to remain aloft.

Now on to the second phalange of the front foot. You will notice that the articular facet of this bone is completely different from that of other animals. As an indispensable result of this very superficial articulation, the dinotherion could not walk on the tips of its fingers, and it would have to drag itself on the exterior edges of the hand, like the mole. This last animal is still is still the only one that presents in this phalange an analogy of form with our fossil monster”.

But here is an even more conclusive fragment; it is the first phalange, or inguinal phalange of this same front foot. Look how it is deeply notched in its anterior part. This incision exists in mammals only in three kinds of animals, all three of which dig in the ground and live in burrows; it gives their claws the prodigious strength that they need. The pangolin, the chrysochloris or Cape mole, and the common mole are the only living animals that have the same conformation, and, remarkably in the mole, the character is less pronounced than in the dinotherion.

And so, my dear, what must we conclude of all this? It is that, as naturalists have sworn, the dinotherion has no analogy with any animals other than those I have cited and, having the head of a mole, the scapula of a mole, and the hands of a mole, must, it seems to me, resemble a mole more than a whale. It is true that the great anatomist Cuvier made of it a giant pangolin, but he hadn’t seen the head”.

“I admit, lord demon, that most analogies are in favor of your opinion, and yet, here are teeth that…”

“That look nothing like a mole’s, I agree, because the jaws of the dinotherion lack incisors and canines, but they are no less suited for grinding roots and even mollusks and insects that it could find in its excavations. Besides, my dear, this anomaly, if it is one, has many examples in living animals. For example, if you ever go to New Holland, you will find a large family of marsupial mammals whose species have so many analogies that it is difficult to separate one from the group it forms, and who differ as much as possible by their dental system. Among these heterogeneously-toothed species, the opossum (the only genus not from Australia) represents insectivorous carnivores, like tenrecs and moles; the rat-kangaroo has teeth adapted for a frugivorous diet, like the hedgehog; the giant kangaroo lives on vegetation, lacks the upper canines that characterize the preceding and only has canines that are transverse to its jaws, which bring it closer to our herbivorous pachyderms; finally, the wombat is, like the hare, a veritable rodent by the teeth and by the intestines. And yet no naturalist has tried to separate these marsupials to put them in the great divisions where their teeth would have rigorously classified them. I intend therefore to make of the dinotherion, if it is not a mole, at least a related genus that I would place with the desmans, the moles, the chrysochlores and the tenrecs, all subterranean animals like it. And besides, if you aren’t content, you can place it elsewhere, but in this case you would have to, according to your principles, create not a genus, a family, or even an order, but a separate class that it would occupy by itself, and this necessity would be the bloodiest critique that you could make of the so-called natural method of your scientists”.

Despite the high opinion I had of my irascible demon’s merit, he had so filled my head with pangolins, seals, tapirs, whales, and elephants, that I could not in any way accept his mole, and a small smile of vanity and disapprobation came over my lips. He noticed, and cried out!

“Ah! Ah! Mister Incredulous! Have I not employed to convince you the same analogic arguments that your sagest paleontology professors use every day; but it will take more than reason to convince you, from what I see. Well then, morbleu! I will convince you with your own eyes or I shall lose my devilry��. He pounced upon me and seized me by the arm, which took away my desire to laugh; he threw me behind him astride his crutch, like a witch heading to the Sabbath on a broomstick, and together we flew into the air, we took off like a crossbow bolt. The speed of our voyage dizzied me so, that I cannot positively say how much time we took to make our way, nor where we passed to find ourselves on the borders of the Rhine, but what is certain is that we were traveling faster than on a train or on a steamboat.

When I came to, I was laid out on a bed of moss shaded by a tree at least thirty to thirty-five meters tall. I asked the genie which country we were in.

“We are”, he told me, “in this country that will be named, in a few thousand years, the Rhenish province of the grand duchy of Hesse-Darmstadt. This great lake that you see there in the East will dry out, and on of the most beautiful rivers of Europe, the Rhine, will cross its ancient bed in its entire length. The place where we are now will be the burg of Eppelsheim and further the city of Alzéi. If you remember the first voyages we made during the other periods, you will notice how much the vegetation has changed, and you will recognize the tree under which we are as a walnut tree quite similar to the common walnut tree, but with more angular nuts that end in a sharp point”.

Suddenly a low but horrible roar made me shiver to the very bone. I looked around in fear, but saw nothing. This horrible cry resonated in my ears a second time and I felt the earth shake under my feet. The idea of underground noises that you hear before an earthquake or rather before mountain upheaval, following Élie de Beaumont, or the sinking of a province according to Beudant, brought terror to my heart, and I thought for a moment that I would be lifted up at the top of a new chain of Alps raising from the depths of the Earth, or sinking into the central fire of the globe in a collapse. I got up quickly and started to run as fast as I was able. But I hadn’t made two hundred paces before my demon grabbed me by my arm, sat me down on a fragment of rock, and, with his finger, indicated the place under the tree where I had been where the most extraordinary scene unfolded.

The earth shook convulsively, and its movement was communicated by the shaking foliage of the walnut tree, which shook and balanced in the air as if a whirlwind had gone into its thousand branches. The tree bent over and straightened several times, then finally, it fell over with a crash, and the earth rose in a great cone seven meters high, opening up at the top of this singular molehill.

“Parbleu”, I told the genie, “I could swear you’re showing me the formation of the new Pyrenees in miniature”.

“In miniature!” he answered, “by my word, that’s quite the miniature! There, there it comes out of its hole”.

Indeed, I saw, coming out of the hole that had opened at the top of the cone like a volcanic crater, a monstrous head three times bigger than a barrel, then an even thicker neck; then a massive body, about three meters in diameter, that is to say as big as the biggest elephant; and finally, a strange animal, five to six meters long, with a terrifying appearance, and dragging itself clumsily on four very short, very thick legs. Its whole body was covered in long, silky hairs, green and shifting in hue from copper to bronze, offering, like the Cape chrysochlore, beautiful metallic reflections. Its very large nose, about sixty centimeters long, ended in a sort of mobile snout, bristling all over with sharp and keratinous tubercles, suitable for opening up the inside of the earth. Under this nose was an enormous lower jaw, prolonged anteriorly in a long chin pointing downwards. At the end of this chin, two tusks almost touching at the base, more than two feet long, emerged through the skin of the lip and directed their points perpendicularly earthwards, yet with a light curvature towards the forelegs. I saw that this monster was using them to help it crawl, by stretching its head out, sinking them into the soil, and pulling its body forward. Its eyes were so small that you would not have seen them through the long hairs surrounding them, if they did not gleam with a dark and red fire like two sparks. Its ears were very small and the concha was barely apparent. Its hindlegs were rather short and armed with very strong claws, but its forelegs ended in two enormous hands absolutely similar to those of a mole, and they were used to push the earth to the right or left as it used its nose to dig an underground tunnel.

The formidable animal descended from atop the monticule it had created; with a lot of agility, it crawled a few meters, then made a cry so sharp, so noisy, so extraordinary that I cannot compare it to anything that human ears have ever heard. The demon saw me shudder and reassured me, telling me that it was calling another animal of its species, and it would move away from us if it heard a response. It continued to make a sharp cry from time to time, moving to the edge of a great forest covering the flanks of a hill, and where I saw a few monticules similar to its own. Meanwhile, I observed a few of those animals a bit smaller in size, and I pointed them out to the genie.

“You are not mistaken”, he told me, “for the paleontologists know in fact, under the name dinotherium bavaricum, another species of this kind, but a bit smaller. What is most unusual in the history of these two dinotherions is that the scientist, G. Cuvier, took the bones of the great dinotherion to be those of a giant tapir, equal in size to the greatest Indian elephant”.

[smellofwater]

Beachcombing - A Fairy Loaf

I found this lovely flint fossil echinoid on the beach between Marske and Redcar. The fossil is smooth to the touch and heavy in the hand, beautiful dense flint with an unmistakable five pointed star on its upper surface, it’s a first for me. Fossil echinoids are not uncommon finds in areas with chalk bedrock but this is the first example that I have found on our beaches. Fossil echinoids have…

[ganymedesclock]

outta curiosity, why do you think the bugs are human-y sized? i've seen that portrayal fairly often in fandom, but it never occurred to me during my own playthrough b/c of things like the weapons all being things like "Nails" and "Needles" (plus Cloth's huge fang club) which feel... like they're supposed to /seem/ small, if that makes sense.

Kind of a complicated web of reasons, some in-universe, some out.

The first thing I’m going to say is that I agree with you in that there is something that “feels small” about Hollow Knight’s world. When a friend of mine, @betterbemeta played the game, they spoke a bit about a “microscopic aesthetic” that they chalked to things like the amount of detail in the backgrounds. At the size we’re used to seeing the world, dirt is just dirt. From an insect’s eye view, however, individual grains are visible to a much greater degree.

This very granular nature fills the world. Nothing has the anonymity of just being dirt- it’s all shells or fossils or bits of stone and sand and glass. Our relationship with the world is intimate. We are shown spaces and the vastness of them looms, daunts. So I don’t for a second resent the impression that the scale of the world “feels small”.

What does bug me, if you’ll pardon the pun, is trying to add humans into this world as some kind of vast upper limit. Because while they wield pins and needles, nails and shears... these are not scavenged objects. This is not Pikmin. The nail is called such, but it is never a nail as we would recognize, designed to be hammered into an object. The bugs of Hallownest mine materials, and forge them into shapes that are engineered and worked artistically. The Nailsmith has spent much of his life obsessively honing his craft.

It feels arrogant, when there is no human presence in the game, to automatically slot us in an imagined supergiant slot that would trivialize the game and everything narratively important about it. It feels even more arrogant to suggest an independent culture that never shows any evidence of being dependent on humans is whimsically plucking our door nails for funny little bug sword duels, rather than that they have a culture of forging and carving their own weapons, tailored to their needs, without “divine inspiration” from anything bigger than it except its gods, which are themselves entities not in the likeness or shape of humans.

For me, I feel like it operates much better to presume Hollow Knight’s world is comparable to Nausicaa’s- it is a land of giants, rather than a land of the diminutive. A world that, if we or creatures like us were walking them, we would walk alongside Ghost, these same roads and highways, and would have this same experience of being dwarfed by the vastness of the space. I feel like if you really want to imagine humans in this world, either explicitly or for a sense of scale- we’d be on the level of the setting’s bugfolk.

Another thing worth noting is that this world is also very alien. Far moreso than, say, Pikmin, a game that does feature tiny aliens on a post-apocalyptic earth, where we can recognize much of the world and its shape even if the creatures now inhabiting it are strange. In Hollow Knight, the world is strange in its beauty and savagery. It’s really not like ours. The larger things get, the weirder they get. There’s almost no indication of mammalian life, or even, besides the bug-people having some recognizable species among them like moths, butterflies, cicadas, bees- creatures that we recognize. God Tamer is either an ant or a cockroach most likely, but her steed was originally conceptualized as a lobster- and it is an eight-eyed, quadrupedal creature with a filter-feeder mouth, large horns, an expanding translucent dewlap and neither claws nor long tail to speak of, so Team Cherry has actively avoided putting “normal creatures” in there.

This setting has a particular logic about creatures. Everything is translated through that lens, so things we would recognize come out distinctly different, and the general thrust is ‘more like a bug’. So to me, that precludes the intrigue of humans, because we have what humans would look like, with concession made to these strange rules.

They’re the characters we already see and interact with.

I dislike the idea of towering humans, because to me, the sapient bugs of Hallownest so clearly are the humans. I feel like this is a world on a divergent planet. There’s no apes for humans to come from, or monkeys to grow into apes, or even mammals for monkeys to come from- everything is bugs, so the sapient creatures come from bugs. Quirrel, in the prequel comic, even briefly holds a much smaller crawling insect and muses how it and he have similar shells, and, yet, are fundamentally dissimilar creatures. Another narrative could very easily transcribe a similar moment between a human researcher and an orangutan he spots in the bushes.

So this compels me to, in crossover contexts, put the bugs as close to humans. I feel like this is a beautifully constructed and deeply alien world, and there’s so little to gain and so much to carelessly bulldoze by adding in a sense of scale that allows us to just ignore so much of the strangeness and force our own ordinary world over it. I don’t have this problem putting in other giant or strange forces in the setting- I’d be super up to colossal forests of giant trees as a level or scene in a fanwork, for example.

But I guess that’s what turns me off of a lot of things like the bug tank AUs- the humans’ presence and society feels like a way to not just put what’s familiar to us in there, but in such a way that invalidates the refreshing novelty of the world around it. There’s no stated upper limit to Radiance’s powers- there’s nothing she can’t infect merely because it’s too large. So putting her in a glass tank wouldn’t negate her. If it was that easy to stop her, PK wouldn’t be driven to desperation and have committed a staggering amount of esoteric sin on his own children trying to find a way. It immediately undermines character plots and motivations.

Suggesting that the bugs are living borrower-style among humans and making use of their technology, likewise, cheapens the plot of the Nailsmith and his obsession, one that is shared by many, or, in the Silksong demo, Forge-Daughter’s “ancient line and honored role”.

Now, I have seen borrower-style stories and loved them! I was massively obsessed with the movie 9 when it came out, which featured tiny cloth dolls (the largest of them could be held easily in one hand by a human) surviving in an apocalyptic wasteland, and they utilized pieces of human technology cobbled together into ingenious new forms. But the thing about Hollow Knight, is it is not that world. Some weapons are large, almost oversized for their wielders- but they were still built with those wielders in mind, by other bugs, using designs developed by bugs. 

Cloth’s club doesn’t really refute this by being a tooth broken from a larger creature, either- the temple of the black egg is made either from, or in the likeness of, the hollowed shell of a truly gargantuan creature.

This world has some very big things. I feel like thinking of humans as ‘the giants’ in this setting vastly underestimates the world. That somewhere in Cloth’s journey- and somewhere accessible to the kingdoms’ guards that became Husk Guards- there were vast cadavers with teeth that could be harvested is explained handily on its own by the idea that this is a world partially populated by giants- giants that play by the same lovely arthropod sensibilities of the more regular-sized denizens.

Another exciting thing worth noting is that there are ribs and spines all over this world! If these guys were truly on the scale of ordinary bugs, they wouldn’t need them- their exoskeletons would do all the supporting for them. But these guys are big enough to need at least vestigial endoskeletons. The implications of the remains that we see don’t exactly show us arm or leg bones, but rather intact limb exoskeletons. So these guys would have more complicated organs and more bones, that a bigger creature would need, but something the size of a realistic our-world ant would not.

[monacohotelr15]

Bournemouth attractions you can’t miss!

Bournemouth is a beautiful coastal resort town located on the South Coast of England. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that it has some of the most beautiful and charming sites in Europe, including breath-taking beaches.

With more than half a million tourists visiting the town during a bank holiday weekend, it is very tourist-friendly. What are some of the must-see places in Bournemouth? Read more about the attractions you simply cannot miss below.

Explore the heritage of the Jurassic Coast

Jurassic Coast is the first and only World Heritage Sites of England and it is stretched over 95 miles of coastline. This place has recorded rocks which were in existence as far as 185 million years ago. Visitors can take a full day trip to Jurassic Coast where they can explore places like Old Harry Rocks with three enormous chalk formations at Handfast point. Another place worth seeing is Kimmeridge Bay on the Isle of Purbeck which is renowned for its fossils. Don’t forget to visit The Etches Collection, a tiny museum displaying the marine reptile fossils that were found in the area by Steve Etches over a 30-year period. You can finish your day with Durdle Door and Lulworth Cave, a mesmerising and one of world’s finest examples of such landform.

 Explore the best beaches in Bournemouth

 The town offers a wide selection when it comes to the accommodation. Hotels in Bournemouth with pool are very popular. Nevertheless, you should definitely spend some time at the beach and admire the beautiful Dorset Coastline.

 The Bournemouth Beach is named as the best beach in the United Kingdom and it is ranked 20th in the World. Colourful beach huts, impressive cliffs, the pier, or some more adventurous activities like jet skiing, paddle boarding or surfing will make sure you never get bored.

The Beautiful Parks and Gardens

 Bournemouth is also known for its amazing parks and garden in the town centre. With around 2000 acres of green territory, there is plenty to explore and enjoy. The garden in this resort town still possesses its Victorian-era charm to it. It starts from Lower Gardens, which are close to the sea,and finally joining the Central Garden and Upper Garden.

 Are you looking for a place to stay in Bournemouth that is close to all the attractions? The Marsham Court Hotel is a dog-friendly hotel located only 5-minutes’ walk from the beach and town centre. The staff can help you to create an itinerary that’s suitable for you or create a package based on your interests that includes accommodation.

 The hotel is also known for conducting Special Interest Holidays in Bournemouth like dancing or bridge holidays.

[thestillnessandthedancing]

November 21st 2018

Here’s a fresh look at the world of ambient/experimental/beautiful music. How has 2018 been for you? Shoot me a message and let me know what your favourite releases of the year have been!

-hour1- Hirotaka Shirotsubaki - Morning Haze (from.. A Seasons Past - 2018 - Archives) Natsukashii - Dunes (from.. Driving East - 2018) Sebastian Gandera - Chienne De Vie (from.. Le Raccourci - 2018) Less Bells - Desert (from.. Solifuge - 2018 - Kranky) Talvihorros / Ben Chatwin - Fossils (from.. Staccato Signals - 2018 - Village Green Recordings) Alder & Ash/William Ryan Fritch - All Is Surprising to the Forgetful (from.. We Stayed the Path that Fell to Shadow - 2018 - Lost Tribe Sound) Masayoshi Fujita - Fog (from.. Book of Life - 2018 - Erased Tapes) Taylor Deupree - The Ephemetry of Chalk (from.. Fallen - 2018 - 12k) Grhmbvrl - artel (from.. Wages/Work Tape - 2018) Daniel Bachman - Song for the Setting Sun II (from.. The Morning Star - 2018)

-hour2- Black Lotus - Suspended in Sunrise (from.. Metamorphasis - 2018) Dedekind Cut - Tahoe (from.. Tahoe - 2018 - Kranky) Slow Fade Sailors - Sam (from.. While the Soul Slept in Beams of Light - 2018) Shuttle 358 - field (from.. Field - 2018 - 12k) Immersion - The Humming Sea (from.. Sleepless - 2018) Theo Alexander - Matter of Balance (from.. Broken Access - 2018 - Luau Records) Gavin Miller - Upper Course II (from.. Meander Scars - 2018 - Lost Tribe Sound) Cyril Secq + Sylvain Chauveau - #5 (from.. Minimal Guitar - 2018 - Eilean Rec.) Aaron Martin & Tilman Robinson - Breath Structures, Dispersed Being (from.. Thesis 11 - 2018 - Thesis) Fradette & Isaak - Cecillia Lake (from.. Moss/Cecilia Lake - 2018)

*Photo the covert for Sebastian Gandera's Le Raccourci

[feeding2pickytoddlers]

I hope everyone had as great of weather as we did today...! It was so beautiful we moved school outside for our Dino Dig Day🦖🦕 Started with one of our all time favorite most loved books: Dinosaur Dig by Penny Dale. If you haven’t read it, you should! Then I set their trays up outside. Hardest part was that I couldn’t set it up last night so I was scrambling a bit this morning. . 1: Painting dinosaurs. . 2: Digging for fossils that M then sorted as either letter or number, H did upper/lowercase letters and numbers. Great printables and idea from @thekindergartenconnection . 3: Measuring dinosaurs from @fairypoppinsdotcom with some awesome flexible rulers . 4: I spelled their names on rocks then mixed them in with others. They found those rocks then used a massive dump truck to transport them across the front yard. Hard work! . 5: I encouraged them to pick a dinosaur and draw it with sidewalk chalk. They actually just colored the dinosaurs with chalk, so that worked. . 6: Time to wash those dinosaurs! With new sponges and spray bottles. . Meanwhile, my zoom buddy and I taught some high schoolers about nationalism in Germany. NBD. #totschool #learnthroughplay #dinosaurdig #letterd #outsidetime https://www.instagram.com/p/B_yduJ2F4bj/?igshid=79ffrd48eqlc

[currentsinbiology]

Triassic three-eyed reptile discovered in Texas

The Triassic was a time of evolutionary innovation and experimentation in vertebrate body plans. In the time following the Permo-Triassic extinction, the largest mass extinction in Earth's history, there was an explosive radiation of the surviving lineages unconstrained by competition from other organisms. Triopticus primus, a newly named archosauromorph from the Triassic of Texas, shows just how strange some of this evolutionary experimentation could be.

Triopticus is known from a single fossil found in the Upper Triassic Otis Chalk Formation of West Texas. The fossil consists of a partial skull roof, preserving the upper edges of the eye sockets, the complete brain case, and the articulation with the first neck vertebra. Almost all of the bone in the skull roof is extraordinarily thick and ornamented with knobs and bumps, except for a point directly above the brain where there is a narrow “pit” that resembles a third eye socket. There are five distinct enlargements or “bosses,” including a central forehead dome, a thick ridge over each eye, and a thick ridge over each ear. The pit is behind the dome and between the four ridge-like bosses. The fragment is approximately 10cm (4 inches) long and 9cm (3.5 inches) wide.

[uk-fossils]

British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata elevata | Santonian Upper Chalk Foreness Point Kent UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

This listing features an authentic British Chalk fossil echinoid – Echinocorys scutata elevata, sourced from the Upper Chalk Formation of the Santonian stage in the Late Cretaceous, collected at Foreness Point, Margate, Kent, UK. This rare subspecies is recognised for its higher domed test and more elevated profile compared to other Echinocorys forms.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species/Subspecies: Echinocorys scutata elevata

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Upper Chalk (Chalk Group)

Location: Foreness Point, Margate, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (See photo for full sizing details)

Specimen: You will receive the exact item shown in the photos

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

Echinocorys scutata elevata is a distinctive and relatively uncommon form of echinoid from the British Upper Chalk. It lived in soft marine sediments in a calm, shallow sea during the Late Cretaceous, and its form reflects adaptations for infaunal life.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Subspecies: scutata elevata

Depositional Environment: Quiet, carbonate-rich shallow marine shelf dominated by coccolith deposition; ideal for fossilisation of echinoids and other invertebrates

Morphological Features: More strongly domed test with a slightly narrower base, distinct ambulacral petals and well-developed oral and aboral structures; typically larger and taller than vulgaris forms

Biozone: Found within the Santonian stratigraphic intervals in association with inoceramids and foraminifera commonly used in UK chalk biostratigraphy

Notable: Echinocorys scutata elevata is prized for its morphological contrast with flatter echinoid forms and is useful in evolutionary and paleoenvironmental interpretation of Cretaceous chalk faunas

Why This Fossil Is Special

This is a beautifully preserved, A-grade example of Echinocorys scutata elevata. Its height and symmetry set it apart from more common subspecies, making it a visually striking and scientifically interesting addition to any collection.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

You will receive the exact specimen shown in the listing photos

Ethically collected from reputable geological sites in the UK

Ideal for collectors, educators, museums, or natural history enthusiasts

Secure a rare and striking example of Britain’s Cretaceous marine fauna with this Echinocorys scutata elevata fossil echinoid from the Upper Chalk of Foreness Point, Kent—a unique relic of ancient seas dating back over 85 million years.

[uk-fossils]

British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata | Santonian Upper Chalk Broadstairs Kent UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

This listing features an authentic British Chalk fossil echinoid – Echinocorys scutata, sourced from the Upper Chalk Formation of the Santonian stage in the Late Cretaceous, collected at Broadstairs, Kent, UK. This iconic species is among the most commonly found and scientifically useful echinoids from the British chalk deposits.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species: Echinocorys scutata

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Upper Chalk (Chalk Group)

Location: Broadstairs, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (See photo for full sizing details)

Specimen: You will receive the exact item shown in the photos

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

Echinocorys scutata is a widely distributed echinoid species known from chalk deposits throughout Europe. These irregular echinoids lived buried in soft carbonate seafloor sediment and were adapted for life just beneath the surface, feeding on organic particles.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Depositional Environment: Quiet, shallow marine environment formed from the accumulation of coccolith-rich calcareous mud

Morphological Features: Subglobular to slightly oval test, broad aboral surface with five ambulacral petals, central periproct and oral aperture located on the flattened underside

Biozone: Commonly found in mid to late Santonian biozones; used frequently in stratigraphic correlation in Upper Cretaceous chalk sequences

Notable: Due to its abundance and variability, Echinocorys scutata plays an important role in paleobiological and biostratigraphic studies of the Late Cretaceous

Why This Fossil Is Special

This specimen of Echinocorys scutata is a well-preserved example of a key Cretaceous echinoid. Its symmetry and completeness make it ideal for collectors, educational settings, and museum-quality displays. Broadstairs remains one of the most productive and classic localities for chalk echinoids in the UK.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

You will receive the exact specimen shown in the listing photos

Ethically collected from reputable geological sites in the UK

Ideal for collectors, educators, museums, or natural history enthusiasts

Secure a classic example of Britain's Cretaceous marine life with this Echinocorys scutata fossil echinoid from the Upper Chalk of Broadstairs, Kent—a lasting reminder of Earth’s marine ecosystems from over 85 million years ago.

[uk-fossils]

British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata | Santonian Upper Chalk Broadstairs Kent UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

This listing features an authentic British Chalk fossil echinoid – Echinocorys scutata, sourced from the Upper Chalk Formation of the Santonian stage in the Late Cretaceous, collected at Broadstairs, Kent, UK. This iconic species is among the most commonly found and scientifically useful echinoids from the British chalk deposits.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species: Echinocorys scutata

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Upper Chalk (Chalk Group)

Location: Broadstairs, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (See photo for full sizing details)

Specimen: You will receive the exact item shown in the photos

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

Echinocorys scutata is a widely distributed echinoid species known from chalk deposits throughout Europe. These irregular echinoids lived buried in soft carbonate seafloor sediment and were adapted for life just beneath the surface, feeding on organic particles.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Depositional Environment: Quiet, shallow marine environment formed from the accumulation of coccolith-rich calcareous mud

Morphological Features: Subglobular to slightly oval test, broad aboral surface with five ambulacral petals, central periproct and oral aperture located on the flattened underside

Biozone: Commonly found in mid to late Santonian biozones; used frequently in stratigraphic correlation in Upper Cretaceous chalk sequences

Notable: Due to its abundance and variability, Echinocorys scutata plays an important role in paleobiological and biostratigraphic studies of the Late Cretaceous

Why This Fossil Is Special

This specimen of Echinocorys scutata is a well-preserved example of a key Cretaceous echinoid. Its symmetry and completeness make it ideal for collectors, educational settings, and museum-quality displays. Broadstairs remains one of the most productive and classic localities for chalk echinoids in the UK.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

You will receive the exact specimen shown in the listing photos

Ethically collected from reputable geological sites in the UK

Ideal for collectors, educators, museums, or natural history enthusiasts

Secure a classic example of Britain's Cretaceous marine life with this Echinocorys scutata fossil echinoid from the Upper Chalk of Broadstairs, Kent—a lasting reminder of Earth’s marine ecosystems from over 85 million years ago.

[uk-fossils]

British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata gravesi | Santonian Upper Chalk Broadstairs Kent UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

This listing features an authentic British Chalk fossil echinoid – Echinocorys scutata gravesi, sourced from the Upper Chalk Formation of the Santonian stage in the Late Cretaceous, collected at Broadstairs, Kent, UK. This distinctive subspecies is well-known for its larger, more robust form and higher dome when compared to the more common vulgaris form.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species/Subspecies: Echinocorys scutata gravesi

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Upper Chalk (Chalk Group)

Location: Broadstairs, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (See photo for full sizing details)

Specimen: You will receive the exact item shown in the photos

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

Echinocorys scutata gravesi is a less common and more prominently domed variant of the iconic chalk echinoid genus. It lived on or just beneath the seabed of the ancient Late Cretaceous seas and is commonly used in zonal and paleoecological studies of the British Upper Chalk.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Subspecies: scutata gravesi

Depositional Environment: Calm, shallow marine environment dominated by carbonate sedimentation; rich in coccoliths and planktonic debris

Morphological Features: Thick-shelled, subglobular to high-domed test, five ambulacral petals visible from the aboral surface, well-defined oral and anal openings

Biozone: Found in mid to late Santonian stratigraphic zones, often associated with key foraminiferal and inoceramid index fossils

Notable: Gravesi is a biostratigraphically and taxonomically valuable form, and well-preserved specimens are relatively rare in comparison to scutata vulgaris

Why This Fossil Is Special

This specimen of Echinocorys scutata gravesi is particularly well preserved, offering exceptional detail and symmetry. Its elevated test and completeness make it ideal for collectors, display, or study. Specimens from Broadstairs are highly regarded by chalk fossil collectors.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

You will receive the exact specimen shown in the listing photos

Ethically collected from reputable geological sites in the UK

Ideal for collectors, educators, museums, or natural history enthusiasts

Secure a rare and robust example of Britain's Cretaceous marine life with this Echinocorys scutata gravesi fossil echinoid from the Upper Chalk of Broadstairs, Kent—a lasting reminder of Earth's marine heritage from over 85 million years ago.

[uk-fossils]

British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata vulgaris | Santonian Upper Chalk Foreness Point Kent UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

This listing features an authentic British Chalk fossil echinoid – Echinocorys scutata vulgaris, sourced from the Upper Chalk Formation of the Santonian stage in the Late Cretaceous, collected at Foreness Point, Margate, Kent, UK. This classic subspecies is a well-documented and widely distributed form of Echinocorys scutata, valued for its symmetry and robust preservation.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species/Subspecies: Echinocorys scutata vulgaris

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Upper Chalk (Chalk Group)

Location: Foreness Point, Margate, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (See photo for full sizing details)

Specimen: You will receive the exact item shown in the photos

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

Echinocorys scutata vulgaris is the most common form of the Echinocorys genus and played an important role in the ancient chalk sea ecosystems of Late Cretaceous Europe. These echinoids lived in soft seabed sediments, feeding on detritus, and are often found in chalk deposits with exceptional preservation.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Subspecies: scutata vulgaris

Depositional Environment: Calm, shallow marine platform composed of fine carbonate sediments; rich in coccoliths and marine microfossils ideal for fossilisation

Morphological Features: Subglobular test with smooth to faintly striated surface, five weakly developed ambulacral petals, centrally positioned peristome and periproct

Biozone: Found within mid to late Santonian biozones including foraminiferal and inoceramid bivalve zones that help define regional stratigraphy

Notable: The vulgaris form is an important biostratigraphic marker and a key reference in echinoid taxonomy and British chalk paleontology

Why This Fossil Is Special

This is a classic example of British Cretaceous chalk echinoids. Its preservation and completeness make it not only a beautiful natural object but also a scientifically significant specimen. Ideal for educational, decorative, or scientific purposes.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

You will receive the exact specimen shown in the listing photos

Ethically collected from reputable geological sites in the UK

Ideal for collectors, educators, museums, or natural history enthusiasts

Secure a genuine piece of Britain's geological legacy with this Echinocorys scutata vulgaris fossil echinoid from the Upper Chalk of Foreness Point, Kent—a timeless relic of life from over 85 million years ago.

[uk-fossils]

British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata | Santonian Upper Chalk Foreness Point Margate Kent UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

Offered here is a classic example of Echinocorys scutata, an extinct fossil echinoid (sea urchin) from the Upper Chalk Formation, deposited during the Santonian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, and collected from the well-known coastal site of Foreness Point, Margate, Kent, UK. This iconic species is one of the most recognisable and important fossils from the British chalk.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species: Echinocorys scutata

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Upper Chalk (Chalk Group)

Location: Foreness Point, Margate, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (See photo for full sizing details)

Specimen: The fossil in the photo is the exact one you will receive

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Context

Echinocorys scutata is a widespread and well-documented species of irregular echinoid, commonly found throughout the Upper Cretaceous chalk of Europe. It lived as a deposit feeder, burrowing within soft seafloor sediments beneath the ancient Cretaceous seas.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Species: scutata

Depositional Environment: Quiet, shallow marine shelf with fine carbonate sedimentation from coccoliths; conditions ideal for fossilisation of echinoids and other marine invertebrates

Morphological Features: Oval to subglobular test (shell), well-developed ambulacral petals on the aboral surface, with a central periproct and flattened oral surface; radial symmetry with slight elongation along the oral-aboral axis

Biozone: Frequently found in mid-to-late Santonian stratigraphic levels; associated with key foraminiferal and inoceramid zones

Notable: Echinocorys scutata is an important biostratigraphic indicator for Upper Cretaceous chalk sequences and is widely used in geological studies of the British chalk

Why This Fossil is Special

This specimen is a true classic of British fossil collecting. Well-preserved, naturally shaped, and collected from a site of national geological importance, this Echinocorys scutata fossil makes an excellent teaching tool or collector’s piece. Its simple symmetry and subtle surface features also make it a beautiful display fossil.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

You receive the exact item pictured

Carefully sourced from reputable British chalk fossil sites

Perfect for collectors, educators, or display in natural history settings

Add a timeless fossil to your collection with this Echinocorys scutata chalk echinoid from the Santonian stage of the Upper Cretaceous, Foreness Point, Kent—an elegant remnant of ancient marine life from over 85 million years ago.

[uk-fossils]

A-Grade British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata depressula | Santonian Cretaceous Broadstairs Kent UK

This is a fine-quality, A-grade fossil specimen of Echinocorys scutata depressula, a subspecies of sea urchin from the Upper Chalk Formation, dated to the Santonian stage of the Late Cretaceous period, collected from the fossil-rich coastal site of Broadstairs, Kent, UK. This distinct form is flatter than other Echinocorys variants, making it a valuable addition to any echinoid or marine invertebrate fossil collection.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species/Subspecies: Echinocorys scutata depressula

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Upper Chalk (Chalk Group)

Location: Broadstairs, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (Please refer to photo for exact sizing)

Specimen: The exact specimen shown in the listing photo is what you will receive

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Information

Echinocorys scutata depressula represents a distinct subspecies of the well-known chalk echinoid, notable for its depressed (flattened) profile and broad, slightly lower dome. These echinoids thrived in soft chalk marine seafloors, where they lived as infaunal deposit feeders.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Subspecies: scutata depressula

Depositional Environment: Quiet, low-energy marine shelf; deposition of coccolith-rich chalk created ideal conditions for fossilisation of echinoids and other invertebrates

Morphological Features: Flattened, oval test (shell) with well-defined ambulacral petals; peristome and periproct typically located on flattened oral surface; delicate striae sometimes preserved

Biozone: Likely falls within mid to late Santonian ammonite or inoceramid biozones; important for stratigraphic correlation in UK chalk studies

Notable: This subspecies is less commonly encountered than scutata scutata and offers a refined morphotype for comparative echinoid studies

Why This Fossil is Special

A beautifully preserved flattened echinoid fossil from one of Britain’s most iconic Cretaceous formations, Echinocorys scutata depressula is an excellent study specimen and a visually striking display fossil. Its low profile and complete preservation make it a particularly collectible example.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

You will receive the exact specimen shown in the photos

Carefully selected from reputable UK fossil sites

Perfect for fossil collectors, paleontology educators, and museum-quality display

Bring home an elegant piece of British geological history with this Echinocorys scutata depressula echinoid fossil from the Santonian Upper Chalk of Broadstairs, Kent—a well-preserved marine treasure from over 85 million years ago.

[uk-fossils]

A-Grade British Chalk Fossil Echinoid – Echinocorys scutata striata | Santonian Cretaceous Broadstairs Kent UK | Genuine Specimen with COA

This is an A-grade, beautifully preserved specimen of Echinocorys scutata striata, a fossil echinoid (sea urchin) from the Santonian stage of the Late Cretaceous, collected from the renowned Chalk cliffs of Broadstairs, Kent, UK. Known for its fine surface ornamentation and distinctive shape, this subspecies of Echinocorys scutata is a classic example of British fossil echinoids.

Fossil Type: Echinoid (Sea Urchin)

Species/Subspecies: Echinocorys scutata striata

Geological Period: Late Cretaceous (~86.3 to 83.6 million years ago)

Geological Stage: Santonian

Formation: Chalk Group (Upper Cretaceous)

Location: Broadstairs, Kent, United Kingdom

Scale Rule: Squares/Cube = 1cm (See photo for exact sizing)

Specimen: The actual specimen photographed is the one you will receive

Authenticity: All of our fossils are 100% genuine specimens and come with a Certificate of Authenticity

Geological and Paleontological Information

Echinocorys scutata striata is a distinguished subspecies of the iconic chalk echinoid, recognised by its subtle surface striations and robust, sub-oval test (shell). These echinoids were deposit feeders living just below the sediment surface in warm, shallow marine seas during the Upper Cretaceous.

Phylum: Echinodermata

Class: Echinoidea

Order: Holasteroida

Family: Holasteridae

Genus: Echinocorys

Subspecies: scutata striata

Depositional Environment: Low-energy marine shelf environment; chalk formed from the accumulation of microscopic coccoliths and calcareous mud in warm, clear seas

Morphological Features: Subglobular test with a slightly flattened oral surface and gently domed aboral side; finely striated ornamentation and well-defined ambulacral petals

Biozone: Likely corresponds to the Santonian inoceramid and foraminiferal biozones common to the British Upper Chalk

Notable: Echinocorys is one of the most important marker fossils in European Cretaceous stratigraphy, and subspecies like striata offer refined paleoenvironmental insights

Why This Fossil Is Special

This A-grade specimen of Echinocorys scutata striata is a standout example of British chalk echinoids, notable for its symmetry, preservation, and subtle surface detail. Rare in this quality, it is ideal for collectors, educators, and enthusiasts of Cretaceous marine life.

Why Buy From Us?

100% genuine fossil with Certificate of Authenticity

Exact specimen shown is what you will receive

Sourced from reputable fossil localities in the UK

Suitable for collectors, educators, or display in natural history settings

Add a beautifully preserved piece of British natural history to your collection with this Echinocorys scutata striata chalk echinoid fossil from the Santonian stage of the Cretaceous, Broadstairs, Kent—an authentic relic of Earth’s marine past, over 85 million years old.