posted on Feb, 23 2009 @ 06:25 AM
This look like a typical ammonite (a Cephalopode like "nautilus" or "squid").
It's not a snail... It is a well preserved specimen, but it is necessary to talk with a paleontologist (specialist on old life forms, e.g. fossils),
to find out if it is actually a new specie or not. But, that's actually not so easy to find out, as no parts of soft tissue gets fossilized.
Two cents from me...