3.1" Diplomystus Dentatus Fossil Fish Green River FM WY Eocene Age COA, Stand

Location: Kemmerer, Wyoming

Weight: 7.2 Ounces

Dimensions: 5.6 Inches Long, 3.7 Inches Wide, 0.3 Inches Thick (Plate)

Fish Dimensions: 3.1 Inches Long, 1.1 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 was an extinct, herring-like surface-feeding fish distinguished by its upturned mouth, perfectly adapted for hunting small fish such as Knightia. Many fossils preserve Knightia in the stomach or mouth of Diplomystus, providing direct evidence of its diet and feeding behavior.

Around 50 million years ago, Fossil Lake covered present-day southwest Wyoming, stretching up to 930 square miles, with about 500 square miles of sediment preserved today. The central lakebed contains exceptionally fossil-rich laminated limestone, formed from unique chemical conditions that prevented decomposition and scavenging. These layers preserve the highest concentration of fossil fish worldwide, capturing an entire freshwater ecosystem, including cyanobacteria, plants, insects, crustaceans, amphibians, turtles, alligators, birds, and mammals, notably the oldest pantolestid.

The lake’s subtropical surroundings are also represented, with rare fossils of horses, snakes, lizards, bats, arboreal insectivores, primitive carnivores, and over 325 types of leaves, seeds, and flowers, offering a complete snapshot of Eocene life.

Diplomystus dentatus and its environment provide an unmatched window into Paleogene freshwater ecosystems, making Fossil Lake one of the most important fossil sites globally for understanding the evolution, diversity, and ecology of early freshwater and terrestrial life.

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.