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

Location: Kemmerer, Wyoming

Weight: 8 Ounces

Dimensions: 4.6 Inches Long, 4.5 Inches Wide, 0.3 Inches Thick (Plate)

Fish Dimensions: 3.8 Inches Long, 1.4 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.

The Diplomystus Dentatus features an upturned mouth, characteristic of fish that feed at the water’s surface. This genus, related to herrings, probably consumed small surface-dwelling fish like Knightia; fossil evidence often shows Diplomystus Dentatus specimens with Knightia remains in their stomach or mouth. About fifty million years ago, a vast body of water known as Fossil Lake covered much of what is present-day southwest Wyoming. While this lake once spanned an estimated 930 square miles, roughly 500 square miles of sediment from it still exist. The central 230 square miles of the ancient lake-bed hold exceptionally rich fossil layers and diverse geological features such as deltas, beaches, springs, and sedimentary rocks from both deep and nearshore lake environments.

The unusual chemistry of the fossil lake prevented decay and scavenging of dead organisms while millimeter-thick layers of alternating limestone matter slowly accumulated. The result is laminated limestones that contain the highest concentration of fossil fish in the world. These fish, other aquatic organisms, and associated geologic features make Fossil Lake the world's best Paleogene record of the freshwater lake ecosystem.

Since their discovery in the 1870s, a remarkable number of flawlessly preserved fossil fish have been uncovered. Alongside these specimens, the laminated limestone reveals an entire aquatic ecosystem, including cyanobacteria, plants, insects, crustaceans like shrimp, crawfish, and ostracods, amphibians such as frogs and primitive salamanders, as well as alligators, turtles, birds, and mammals—including the oldest pantolestid, an otter-like creature. The surrounding subtropical terrestrial environment is equally rich, with rare fossils of horses, snakes, lizards, bats, birds, and unique species like the arboreal insectivore apatemyid and a primitive carnivore, plus over 325 varieties of leaves, seeds, and flowers. Own a piece of this extraordinary natural history and witness a prehistoric world preserved in stunning detail.

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.