ARCHIVED: Diplomystus Dentatus Fish Single Wall Tile 695mm

This superb example of Diplomystus dentatus is preserved in its original limestone from the celebrated Green River Formation. An early relative of the herring, Diplomystus was a swift freshwater predator with exceptionally fine bones, making complete specimens both scarce and highly prized. Examples are occasionally found with prey such as Knightia alta, Knightia eocaena, or Priscacara serrata still in the throat or stomach. These rare moments may record a failed attempt at swallowing prey, or a sudden loss of oxygen within the ancient lake that overcame predator and prey alike. Periodic ash falls into the Eocene lake created oxygen poor conditions that halted decay and allowed remarkable preservation. Over time, mineral rich waters permeated the remains, replacing delicate skeletal elements with dark calcite set against pale limestone. The prized eighteen inch layer from which this specimen comes is dense and difficult to prepare, yet it yields fossils of striking clarity and contrast. The result is a beautifully defined fish, preserved in fine detail, offering a refined and authentic glimpse into a freshwater world some fifty-million years ago. STAT Genus: Diplomystus Dentatus. Age: Paleogene, Eocene, 53.500,000 to 48.500,000 years. Origin: The Rocky Mountains, Lake Gosiute, Green River, Wyoming, USA. Tile CM: H: 45 / W: 65 / D: 2 / KG: 10