Gastropod Fossils Information And Meaning
The Meaning Of Gastropod Fossils, Agatized Gastropod Fossils, And Steinkern Fossils
Gastropod Fossils are some of the most popular fossils available to add to one's fossil collection, alongside Ammonite Fossils and other famous fossil types.
But what are Gastropod Fossils? How do Gastropod Fossils form? What are the different types of Gastropods?
In this article, we will learn all about the meaning of Gastropod Fossils, including the answers to the above questions, as we explore information about Agatized Gastropod Fossils, Chalcedony Mineral Replacements in Fossils, Steinkern Fossils, and more.
What Is A Gastropod Fossil?
Gastropod Fossils are the fossilised shell remains of ancient molluscs of the Gastropod class that lived millions of years ago.
Gastropod Fossils/ Gastropods are commonly referred to as Snail Fossils.
What Are Gastropods And Molluscs?
Mollusc Fossil of the Gastropod Group: Snail Fossil
A Gastropod is a type of Mollusc: in fact the Gastropod Group is the largest class of molluscs.
Types of Gastropods include garden snails, marine snails such as periwinkles and limpets, and slugs.
Lymnaea Genus Gastropods, such as Lymnaea Gastropod Agatized Fossils, are freshwater snails.
Agatized Gastropod Fossil of the Lymnaea Genus: Freshwater Snail Fossil
What Gastropod Fossils Are For Sale At Madagascan Direct?
Agatized Gastropod Fossils For Sale at Madagascan Direct are the preserved shell fossils of Gastropods of the Lymnaea Genus that lived 67 million years ago in India, making them Cretaceous Period Fossils.
Agatized Gastropod Fossil showing a polished Chalcedony Replaced Shell full of yellow and brown Agate Mineral Replacements
Polished Gastropod Fossils For Sale at Madagascan Direct are the fossils of Gastropods that lived 163 million years ago, making them Jurassic Period Fossils.
Polished Gastropod Fossil from Madagascar showing an intricately coiled spiral shell: 163 million years old, Jurassic Period Fossil
Buy Gastropod Fossils Online at Madagascan Direct, including:
Other Mollusc Fossils: Cephalopod Fossils And More
Mollusc Fossils are some of the most common and popular types of fossils available: Gastropod Fossils are one type of Mollusc Fossil, as are Ammonite Fossils, such as this Ammonite Fossil of the Phylloceras Ammonite Species
There are many examples of ancient molluscs which have formed the brilliant mollusk fossils we are still discovering today, including the aforementioned Gastropod Mollusc Fossils.
Alongside Gastropod Fossils, other types of mollusc fossils include:
- Ammonite Fossils (Ammonites, a type of Cephalopod Fossil)
- Bivalve Fossils (Bivalves or Clam Fossils)
- Nautilus Fossils (a type of Cephalopod Fossil like an Ammonite Fossil: you can learn more about Nautilus Fossils in our blog about them)
Ammonite Fossil of the Cleoniceras Ammonite Species and Cephalopod Molluscs Class, found in Mahajanga, Madagascar: approximately 120 million years old, dating from the Cretaceous Period.
Bivalve Fossil (Clam Fossil of the Bivalve Molluscs Class) found in Morondava, Madagascar: approximately 140 million years old, dating back to the Middle Jurassic Period
Nautilus Fossil of the Chambered Nautilus/ Pearly Nautilus/ Nautilus Pompilius Nautilus Species and Cephalopod Molluscs Class, found in Mahajanga, Madagascar: approximately 120 million years old, dating from the Cretaceous Period
How Old Are Gastropod Fossils?
Gastropod Fossils can vary widely in geological age.
How Old Are Polished Gastropod Fossils For Sale At Madagascan Direct?
At Madagascan Direct, our Polished Gastropod Fossils For Sale are 163 million years old, making them fossils from the Jurassic Period.
Polished Gastropod Fossil from Madagascar, 163 million years old, Jurassic Period
How Old Are Agatized Gastropod Fossils For Sale At Madagascan Direct?
Our Agatized Gastropod Fossils are approximately 67 million years old, and date back to the Upper Cretaceous Period; more specifically, these fossils are from the Maastrichtian Age, the last age of the Cretaceous Period and Mesozoic Era before the end of the dinosaurs. 
Agatized Gastropod Fossil from India, 67 millions years old, Upper Cretaceous Period (Maastrichtian Age)
Where Do Gastropod Fossils Come From?
Gastropod Fossils can be found around the world, some of the most famous being Gastropod fossils from Madagascar.
Where Do Polished Gastropod Fossils For Sale At Madagascan Direct Come From?
At Madagascan Direct, we have a selection of Polished Gastropod Fossils For Sale From Madagascar, more specifically, from the Tulear region of Madagascar.
Gastropod Fossil found in Tulear, Madagascar: 163 million years old
Where Do Agatized Gastropod Fossils For Sale At Madagascan Direct Come From?
Our stunning Agatized Gastropod Fossils are fossils from India; more specifically, from Betul in Madhya Pradesh.
Agatized Gastropod Fossil found in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, India: 67 million years old
What Are Agatized Gastropod Fossils?
Agatized Gastropod Fossil of the Lymnaea Genus, also known as a Silicified Gastropod Fossil, showing a shell made of Chalcedony Mineral Replacements and a large natural crystal cavity full of Druzy Quartz Crystals
Agatized Gastropod Fossils, otherwise known as Silicified Gastropod Fossils, are Gastropod Fossils whose fossil shells are formed from Chalcedony mineral replacements.
These Chalcedony minerals replaced the original natural shell of the Gastropod over millions of years of fossilisation and silicification processes.
Chalcedony replaced fossils can also sometimes be Steinkern Fossils, which an Agatized Gastropod Fossil is an example of.
Agatized Gastropod Fossil showing a fossilised shell composed of White Agate Chalcedony Mineral Replacements, as well as a Natural Crystal Cavity filled with Druzy Quartz Crystals, making it a Steinkern Fossil
What Are Chalcedony Minerals?
Amethyst Agate is a stone displaying Amethyst, a Purple Quartz Mineral Variety that forms visible crystals, including druzy crystals, as well as White, Blue, and Grey Chalcedony Agate. Chalcedony, of which Agate is a type of, is a Quartz mineral variety made of Silica, like Amethyst, but in comparison does not form crystals visible to the naked human eye: this distinguishes Chalcedony Quartz from other Quartz varieties like Amethyst, Citrine, and Clear Quartz (Rock Crystal)
Chalcedony is the name for a group of Quartz minerals which are formed from cryptocrystalline Silica, and Chalcedony is hence considered to be Cryptocrystalline Quartz (or Microcrystalline Quartz).
All types of Quartz, including the microcrystalline Quartz Variety Chalcedony, are composed from silica crystals (otherwise known as silicon dioxide), and are therefore classed as Silicate Minerals.
Chalcedony Crystals are microcrystalline in crystal structure, meaning that they differ from other Quartz varieties in that the Silica crystals they are formed from are too small to be visible to the naked human eye.
Chalcedony forms of Quartz get their vibrant colours from impurities within the crystal matrix, such as iron oxides like hematite.
Agatized Gastropod Fossils display Fossilised Shells formed from Chalcedony Mineral Replacements, more specifically, from Agate Mineral Replacements: each fossil displays unique colours and patterns due to varying mineral inclusions
Types of Chalcedony Minerals, Crystals And Gemstones Include:
- Agate (a translucent/ semi-translucent form of Banded Chalcedony)
- Jasper (a type of Opaque Chalcedony)
- Carnelian (a red and orange Chalcedony variety)
Fossilised Wood, also known as Petrified Wood, is formed from colourful Jasper Mineral Replacements: Jasper is a type of Chalcedony mineral
Chalcedony Mineral Replacements In Fossils: Silicification & Fossilisation
Many types of fossils form through a fossilisation or petrification process called silicification, whereby silica crystals/ silicate minerals replace the original organic material of the plant or creature being fossilised, such as a tree (forming Fossilised Wood/ Silicified Wood/ Petrified Wood) or Gastropod.
Fossilised Wood Slice, also known as a Petrified Wood Slice or Silicified Wood Slice, made of Jasper Mineral Replacements and cut from real Fossil Wood from Madagascar: the Fossil Wood formed over 248 million years of silicification fossilisation processes, starting in the Triassic Period
As Chalcedony and Quartz are formed from silica, and are silicate minerals, many fossils that have formed via silicification include Chalcedony Mineral Replacements ( cryptocrystalline Quartz mineral replacements) or visibly crystalline Quartz Mineral Replacements.
Agatized Gastropod Fossil displaying crystalline druzy Quartz crystal cavities within the fossil shell, as a Steinkern Fossil
Agate Mineral Replacements In Fossils: Agatized Fossils
Chalcedony mineral replacements in fossils include Agate Mineral Replacements, such as those found in Agatized Gastropod Fossils.
These Agate Replaced Fossils have undergone Silicification during the fossilisation process (thereby also making them Silicified Gastropod Fossils).
Agatized Gastropod Fossil or Silicified Gastropod Fossil showing colourful Agate Mineral Replacements and a crystal cavity lined by sparkling druzy Quartz crystals, as a Steinkern Fossil
Jasper Mineral Replacements In Fossils: Jasper Replaced Fossils
Other Chalcedony replaced fossils include Fossilised Wood (also known as Fossil Wood, Petrified Wood, or Silicified Wood).
Fossilised Wood Branch crafted from Petrified Wood from Madagascar, showing colourful Jasper Mineral Replacements that replaced the original tree bark from 248 million years ago
Petrified Wood contains colourful Jasper Mineral Replacements which replaced the original bark of the ancient fossilised tree via silicification processes during fossilisation to create Jasper Replaced Fossils.
Polished Fossil Wood Crystal Heart Shape, made from real Fossil Wood from Madagascar (248 million years old): the Jasper Mineral Replacements in Petrified Wood often display striking colours and patterns, making the stone perfect for cutting and polishing into ornamental crystal shapes such as palm stones, crystal spheres, and crystal hearts
What Are Steinkern Fossils?
Steinkern Fossils are fossils that form when mineral-rich mud and sediment fills the hollow cavities of an empty natural shell, for example the empty internal cavities of a Gastropod natural shell, and over time transforms into a stony mineral mass.
This stony mass of minerals hardens in the shape of the internal cavities it filled, and acts as a cast, mould, or "Steinkern" of the inner shape of the original shell, preserving the shape of the shell even when the natural shell has long since eroded away.
Steinkern Fossils With Chalcedony Mineral Replacements
Many Cephalopod Fossils (which encompasses Ammonite Fossils and Nautilus Fossils) and Bivalve Fossils form as Steinkern Fossils, as well as Gastropod Fossils.
Steinkern Fossils such as Agatized Gastropod Fossils display an array of striking minerals, for example colourful Chalcedony Minerals including Agate Minerals and Jasper Minerals, and crystal cavities full of sparkling drusy Quartz crystals.
Agatized Gastropod Fossils For Sale: Silicified Gastropod Fossils With Chalcedony Replacements And Druzy Quartz Crystals
Our gorgeous Hand-Polished Agatized Gastropod Fossils from India are rare fossil finds of the highest quality, and are approximately 67 million years old, dating back to the Upper Cretaceous Period.
These Agatized Gastropod Fossils (or Silicified Gastropod Fossils) display beautiful Agatized Fossil Shells formed from colourful Chalcedony Replacements in rich white, orange, and brown hues, amongst many other stunning colours.
Each individual Agatized Gastropod Fossil Shell displays unique colour and pattern variations due to varying mineral inclusions, sometimes even displaying rare Dendritic Patterns (branching tree-like patterns) via Dendritic Agate mineral replacements.
The colours and sleek, smooth polish of the Chalcedony Replaced Gastropod Fossil Shells contrast marvellously against these Steinkern Fossils' large natural crystal cavities full of clear and white sparkling druzy Quartz crystals.
As Striking Shell Fossils and Steinkern Fossils, these Agatized Fossils With Druzy Crystals have been carefully polished by hand to preserve their intricately patterned coiled shells, and to enhance the shimmer and shine of the fossils' natural drusy Quartz crystals.
Gastropod Fossil Collections: Gastropod Fossils For Sale
Gastropod Fossils, or Snail Fossils, are famed for their stunningly preserved coiled shells.
Each Gastropod Fossil displays unique patterns, shapes, and colours, and are a fascinating vestige of fossil history.
A Gastropod Fossil such as a Polished Gastropod Fossil from Madagascar or an Agatized Gastropod Fossil is an essential addition to any Fossil Collection, and makes for a great fossil gift, especially as a fossil gift for children.
Buy Gastropod Fossils Online at Madagascan Direct.