Upper Cretaceous glass sponge Turonia cerebriformis,Schrammen, 1910 France For Sale

Presented is an exceptionally fine, historically significant 3D specimen of the rare Upper Cretaceous glass sponge Turonia cerebriformis (Schrammen, 1910).

Hand-collected from the historic Senonian (Upper Cretaceous) chalk strata of the Touraine region in the southern Anglo-Paris Basin, France, this authentic fossil showcases spectacular brain-like (cerebriform) folding and deeply furrowed surface morphology. The Touraine region is world-renowned for its classic Mesozoic exposures, historically yielding some of Europe’s finest fossilized marine reef fauna. While a vast majority of regional sponge fossils from this basin are heavily flattened or crushed, this piece boasts excellent three-dimensional relief, maintaining its uncrushed, natural contours. It has been meticulously prepared to highlight its intricate, porous skeletal micro-framework while preserving its completely natural, unaltered patina.

An outstanding acquisition for specialized invertebrate paleontologists, advanced Mesozoic reef-fauna collectors, or premium display.

🔍 Comprehensive Scientific Datasheet

I. Taxonomic Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia (Linnaeus, 1758)

• Phylum: Porifera (Grant, 1836)

• Class: Demospongiae (Sollas, 1885)

• Order: Lithistida (Schmidt, 1870)

• Suborder: Tetracladina (Zittel, 1878)

• Family: Siphoniidae (D'Orbigny, 1851)

• Genus: †Turonia (Michelin, 1847)

• Species: †Turonia cerebriformis (Schrammen, 1910)

II. Geological Data

• Chronostratigraphy: Mesozoic Era ➔ Upper Cretaceous Period ➔ Senonian Series (Campanian Stage, ~72–83 Million Years Old).

• Lithostratigraphy: Anglo-Paris Basin Chalk Formations / Locally associated Tuffeau strata.

III. Geographical Data

• Locality: Touraine region, Indre-et-Loire, Central-West France.

• Historical Significance: This region serves as a foundational European paleontological collecting zone documented heavily during 19th-century French geological surveys.

IV. Depositional Environment

• Facies: Sub-tropical, deep epicontinental Chalk Sea shelf.

• Context: Inhabited a quiet, low-energy marine basin that blanketed north-central France. The environment was characterized by high benthic productivity, growing alongside dense communities of echinoids, inoceramid bivalves, and ammonites.

V. Full Taphonomy Data

• Preservation Mode: Exquisite siliceous mineral replacement (Silicification). The soft organic structures and original silica spicule desmas were slowly substituted molecule-by-molecule by dense silica (SiO₂) shortly after burial within the soft, calcareous coccolith mud.

• Biostratinomy: Rapid, in-situ burial shielded the rigid skeleton from destructive currents and marine scavengers, preventing fragmentation.

• Diagenesis: The interlocking structural matrix successfully resisted severe compaction from heavy overlying chalk layers, maintaining its original three-dimensional form and allowing it to weather cleanly out of the surrounding white matrix.

📦 Combined Shipping & Seller Terms

• 📦 Combined Shipping Incentive: We are happy to combine shipping on multiple items to save you money! If you purchase more than one specimen from our shop, please add the items to your cart and select "Request Total From Seller" or wait for us to issue a manually adjusted, combined invoice before submitting your final payment.

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• ⚠️ Please Note: Review all listing photographs carefully—including the side profile over the gridlines—to examine fine structural details, precise metrics, and exact cosmetic preservation status before placing your final Buy It Now order.