43" Tall Green River Fossil Fish "Mural" With Huge Diplomystus

This is a spectacular fossil fish "mural" from the Green River Formation of Wyoming. The entire piece measures 43 x 29." and features a huge, 19.5" long Diplomystus dentatus along with a 5.5" Cockerellites liops, a 6.7" Knightia eocaena and a second diplomystus. These fossils were collected from the 18 inch layer at the Lindgren Quarry near Kemmerer, Wyoming.

The massive Diplomystus is very detailed and is in its natural location on the shale. The Cockerellites and Knightia were found separately and have been inlaid into the rock to create an aesthetic display. This is the case with many of the large, multiple fish pieces you see from the Green River Formation. The entire piece has been backed with wood for stability and so that it can easily be hung on a wall.

Specimens like this come from the coveted 18 inch layer of the Green River Formation, which produces darker and more detailed fish than the majority on the market. The rock from this layer is much harder and more durable than other layers in the formation, likely due to its initial deposition conditions in deep water. Because of these conditions, fish found in the 18-inch layer can be extracted whole and in excellent condition. This layer is typically collected at night using low-angle light to see the bump in the rock that the fish's backbone creates. They then cut these fish out and take them to a lab where the fish, which may be up to an inch under the surface of the rock, are meticulously extracted under microscope with hand tools.

A view of the 18 inch layer of the Green River Formation at the Lindgren quarry near Kemmerer, Wyoming.
A view of the 18 inch layer of the Green River Formation at the Lindgren quarry near Kemmerer, Wyoming.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Diplomystus dentatus, Cockerellites liops & Knightia eocaena
LOCATION
Kemmerer, Wyoming
FORMATION
Green River Formation - 18 Inch Layer
SIZE
43 x 29.5", Larger Fish 19.5", 75 lbs
CATEGORY
ITEM
#158726
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