2.6" Diplomystus Dentatus Fossil Fish Green River FM WY Eocene Age COA, Stand
Location: Kemmerer, Wyoming
Weight: 1 Pound 2.6 Ounces
Dimensions: 6.4 Inches Long, 4.8 Inches Wide, 0.5 Inches Thick (Plate)
Fish Dimensions: 2.6 Inches Long, 0.9 Inches Wide
Comes with a Free Stand.
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
56 million years old, Eocene age.
Diplomystus Dentatus morphology, including its upturned mouth, is typical of a surface-feeding fish. The genus is herrings that likely fed on small surface-dwelling fish, as Knightia is evidenced by numerous fossils found with Knightia in the stomach or mouth.
About fifty million years ago, Fossil Lake covered an area in what is now southwest Wyoming. Although it once spanned up to 930 square miles, around 500 square miles of sediment remain. The central 230 square miles of this ancient lakebed are rich in fossils and include important geological features such as deltas, beaches, springs, and sedimentary rocks from both the lake’s center and nearshore zones.
The unusual chemistry of the fossil lake prevented decay and scavenging of dead organisms, while millimeter-thick layers of alternating limestone gradually built up. The result is laminated limestones that hold the highest concentration of fossil fish in the world. These fish, along with other aquatic organisms and related geological features, make Fossil Lake the world's best Paleogene record of a freshwater lake ecosystem.
Since their initial discovery in the 1870s, numerous exquisitely preserved fossil fish specimens have been retrieved. Encased within the laminated limestone alongside these fish is a comprehensive aquatic ecosystem comprising cyanobacteria, various plants, insects, and crustaceans—including shrimp, crawfish, and ostracods. The fossil record further includes amphibians such as frogs and primitive salamanders, as well as reptiles like alligators and turtles, avian species, and mammals, notably the earliest known pantolestid, an otter-like mammal. The subtropical terrestrial biome adjacent to the lake is equally represented through rare fossil finds: a horse, two snake species, lizards, two types of bats, birds, an apatemyid (a specialized arboreal insectivore), a minced (primitive carnivore), diverse insects, and an extensive catalog exceeding 325 species of leaves, seeds, and flowers.
Please be aware of the nature of fossils:
Being buried under the ground for millions of years under tons of pressure tends to be rough. No fossil comes out of the ground whole and perfect. Most fossils have undergone some restoration, while others are altered by man, simply to enhance their presentation in different ways. These are part of the natural beauty of the fossil and are not considered defects.
