Rastellum Carinatum Oyster Fossil Madagascar Marine Relic Collector

Treasured Relic: Mahajanga's Rastellum Carinatum Specimen

This beautifully preserved Rastellum carinatum fossil (66mm x 51mm) from Madagascar's Mahajanga Province represents one of the most distinctive oyster species from the Age of Dinosaurs. Rastellum belonged to a specialized group of oysters characterized by their elaborate, wing-shaped shells covered in radiating ribs and furrows. These creatures flourished in the warm Cretaceous seas from roughly 100 to 66 million years ago, cementing themselves to hard substrates or resting on muddy bottoms in shallow marine environments. The entire genus vanished at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, victims of the mass extinction event triggered by the Chicxulub asteroid impact and subsequent volcanic activity that radically altered ocean chemistry and temperature. The fossil's exceptional preservation resulted from rapid burial in calcium carbonate-rich sediments that protected the shell from destruction and allowed for mineral replacement over millions of years.

Rastellum fossils are scientifically significant as they document the incredible diversity of Mesozoic marine life and the fragility of specialized species during global catastrophes.

Don't miss this opportunity to own a genuine piece of extinction history!