AMMONITES

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Ammonites evolved at the beginning of the Devonian Period, approximately 400 million years ago. They died out at the same time as the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous Period, 65 million years ago. The name Ammonite is derived from ancient Egypt. They were called "Ammon's Stones" due to their resemblance to the "rams horns of Ammon", the Egyptian god of life and procreation. Ammonites were a squid-like animal that had a shell as protective armor. They could control their buoyancy, which allowed them to change their depth in the sea. They also had beaks, like squid and octopus, to crush hard-shelled prey such as crabs. These animals became quite large. This specimen is approximately 2.5 feet in diameter and was found near Sacramento California. It is Cretaceous in age, the last time period of the Mesozoic (136 to 65 million years old).

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