5.3" Black, Mioplosus Fossil Fish With Knightia - Wyoming

This is a nice association of two different species of fossil fish from the Green River Formation of Wyoming. There is an uncommon, 5.3" long Mioplosus labracoides right next to a 3.5" long Knightia eocaena. Both fish are very detailed, with jet black preservation and nicely displayed on a solid, rectangularly cut section of shale.

This piece comes with a display stand.

50 million years ago, in the Eocene epoch, these fish thrived in Fossil Lake, which was fed by the Uinta and Rocky Mountain highlands. The anoxic conditions at the bottom of Fossil Lake slowed bacterial decomposition, prevented scavengers from disturbing corpses, and, most interestingly, suffocated creatures that ventured into the oxygen-starved aquatic layer. The result is a miraculous exhibition of Eocene biota: a subtropical aquatic community within sycamore forests, teeming with creatures such as freshwater stingrays, dog-sized horses, menacing alligators, early flying bats, and one of the first primates.

A view of one of the commercial quarries where fossils from the Green River Formation are collected.
A view of one of the commercial quarries where fossils from the Green River Formation are collected.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Mioplosus labracoides & Knightia eocaena
LOCATION
Lindgren Quarry, Kemmerer, Wyoming
FORMATION
Green River Formation
SIZE
5.3 & 3.5" long on 8.1 x 7" rock
CATEGORY
ITEM
#163538
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