Baculites

Family: Baculitidae (Gill, 1871)
Genus: Baculites (Lamarck, 1799)

 

  Baculites, also known as the walking stick rock are a nearly straight-shelled type of ammonite that lived worldwide throughout the Late Cretaceous period. Like all ammonites, the shell consisted of a series of body chambers, which contained gas to kept the animal buoyant. Baculites fossils are very brittle and are almost always found broken.  Baculites are generally an uncommon find in New Jersey, although some locations may produce specimens on a more regular basis.

 


 

Baculite sp. measures 6 cm (2.5 nches)

Monmouth County, NJ.
1 1/2 inches across.
 


 

Close up of the suture line.
Differences in the suture lines can be used to help identify
the different species.
 


 

The cross section of Baculites are round or oval in shape. 

 

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