Fossil Ammonite

thingiverse

# Fossil Ammonite ## A 1:6 Scale Model of a Devonian Wonder Ammonoids or Ammonites are extinct Molluscs that closely resemble our modern day Nautilus cephalopods. They inhabited the early Earth marine ecosystem from the Devonian period to the late Cretaceous period. Rather than being bottom-dwellers, these ancient mariners are believed to have been open-sea swimmers (or possibly floaters). While Ammonite shells are widely distributed in the fossil record, very few findings of these animals' soft body parts have been recorded. Furthermore, there is an incredible diversification in Ammonite shell size and shape. The earliest Devonian species are relatively small, approximately 15 - 23-cm in diameter, while the species from the late-Jurassic to mid-Cretaceous periods vary in size from 53 cm to 2 meters in diameter. ## The Model This Ammonite model was created using a Unity WebGL app programmed by Alexander Erlich. By adjusting parameter sliders, you can create your own custom Ammonite. You can find this Web site at airlich.de/shell. The result of using this Web tool is a 3D-printable STL file similar to this model. To print this model, make two adjustments in your 3D printing software: 1. Add support to the model. 2. Use a brim for holding the model during printing. Refer to the included photographs for determining the amount of support and size of brim to add to your model for making a successful print. Enjoy. ### References An interactive Web site for creating your own Ammonite 3D model: airlich.de/shell "Morphomechanics and Developmental Constraints in the Evolution of Ammonites Shell Form," by Alexander Erlich, Derek E. Moulton, Alain Goriely, and Regis Chirat, 2016, Journal for Experimental Zoology (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 00B:1-14.