3.8" Eocene Fossil Crab (Pulalius) Cheliped - Washington State

This is a beautifully prepared, partial example of the Late Eocene aged fossil crab Pulalius vulgaris. These crabs are found within hard concretions (a mass of rock that forms around organic manner) that erode out of the Lincoln Creek Formation, which must be broken open to find the crab. The fossil must then be prepared from the hard concretion using mechanical tools, a very time consuming process.

This specimen primarily features the cheliped/chela (large claw) of the crab, with additional legs and a partial carapace visible when viewing both sides of the specimen. The chela is 3.8" long and the entire nodule measures 4.8" long. It is accompanied by an acrylic display stand.

This specimen was collected in June 2026.

Below is an example of a Pulalius vulgaris crab in its concretion after having been broken open with a sledge hammer, prior to preparation.