Coccodus insignis (fossil fish) and Carpopenaeus (fossil shrimp) | Lebanon

Coccodus insignis and Carpopenaeus Early Cretaceous (~100 MYO) Hjoula, Byblos, Lebanon Fish approx. size: 4" x 1.75" Shrimp approx. size: 1.5" x 0.75" Matrix approx. size: 5.75" x 4.5" This plate has a few cracks that has been repaired, but the fossils have had little to no restoration. This striking fossil pairing brings together two very different creatures that once thrived in ancient seas. Coccodus insignis, an extinct relative of modern-day triggerfish, appears alongside Carpopenaeus, a prehistoric shrimp—offering a fascinating glimpse into a long-lost marine ecosystem. Coccodus belongs to an extinct genus of marine pycnodontid fish that lived during the Late Cretaceous. It is especially recognizable for its unusual head armor, featuring a pair of large, curved spines projecting from the lower sides of the head and a single curved spine extending from the top. While most pycnodontids were short-bodied and resembled modern butterflyfish, Coccodus had a more elongated form, giving it a superficial resemblance to a scaled chimaera. Like other pycnodontids, Coccodus was equipped with strong, rounded teeth designed for crushing hard-shelled prey such as mollusks and crustaceans—making creatures like Carpopenaeus a potential part of its diet.