NATURAL TREASURES

FOSSIL FISH

(Click on image for enlargement)

The collection of fossil fish displayed on this page represents only a portion of the fossil fish that I collected this summer while in the Kemmerer area of southwestern Wyoming.  For a taste of what it's like to dig fossil fish, check out my Virtual Field Trip to Find Fossil Fish.  

To experience digging fossil fish for yourself, click here Dig Your Own Fossil Fish

The fossil fish pictured here lived about 50 million years ago in a large lake which is now  a part of sediments which make up the Eocene age Green River Formation of southwestern Wyoming.  These lake bed sediments consist of laminated limestone that was precipitated out of the calcium-rich water as a result of chemical or ph changes.  These ancestors of the modern herring were self-collected and prepared.  These fish are natural and not enhanced, and are preserved with Vinac, a clear, acetone-based vinyl acetate.  And they are not upside down!

Large wall hanging with 13 good fossil fishFASH02

FASH02 This 19" x 48" volcanic ash mortality layer from the Thompson Quarry, Kemmerer, Wyoming is backed with Hardibacker board and has a metal bracket to hang on your wall.  It displays 12 good Knightia, 1 good Diplomystus, and 8 incomplete fossil fish.  This is a one-of-a-kind piece that is sure to make a statement in your home.  Remember, price includes domestic shipping.

FASH02

Ash Layer Mortality Plate  SOLD

$645.00

$698.21


MASS MORTALITY FOSSIL FISH PLATE

 Multiple fossil fish plate with Diplomystus and Knightia, Green River, Wyoming FDIPKNM3

The occurrence of several fish on one layer is uncommon.  These fish specimens are well preserved, with good detail.  All the fish on FDIPKNM3  are natural (not enhanced).  A hanger is attached to the back, so it is ready to hang on the wall.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FDIPKNM3 Diplo & Knightia Mass Mortality Plate, Diplo at lower left is 6", Knightia at upper left is 3", slab is 13"x18" SOLD $95.00 $102.84

AMPHIPLAGA BRACHYPTERA

Amphyplaga fossil fish, Green River, WyomingFAMPH2

This species is termed a trout perch because they are morphologically intermediate in many way between trout (or salmon) and the perches.  It is somewhat rare in the Green River formation.  Piece is free standing.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FAMPH2 Amphiplaga, fish is 2.7", slab is 4"x6" $38.00 $41.14

GREEN RIVER POSTER

Poster showing Fossil Fish of the Green River Formation, WyomingThis poster artistically depicts the best of the Green River Formation flora and fauna.  Not only is it a fascinating addition to any wall, but a good reference as well.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FGRFP1 Green River Formation Poster SOLD OUT

$14.00

$15.16


MIOPLOSUS LABRACOIDES

Mioplosus labracoides fossil fish, Green River, WyomingFMIO2   mioplosus-md1.jpg (87776 bytes)FMIO3

Mioplosus is a rather rare member of the Green River fauna.  It was a perch-like fish with a strongly built, long body, similar in appearance to the living perch, Perca.  It is recognized by its two dorsal fins.  It was a voracious predator, sometimes found with a prey caught in its mouth.  These specimens have a stone backing to make them free-standing.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FMIO2 Mioplosus labracoides, fish is 9", slab is 8"x18" Very nice, complete example centered on matrix SOLD

$275.00

$297.88

FMIO3 Mioplosus labracoides, fish is 6", slab is 6"x12", price is reduced because parts of tail & dorsal fin are missing

$85.00

$92.01


PHAREODUS

Phareodus encaustus, fossil fish, Green River, WyomingFPHS3       Phareodus encaustus, Green River Formation, Wyoming FPHS4

This fish is the rather rare Phareodus encaustus, meaning "with teeth" referring to its mouthful of needlelike teeth.  It is in the Osteoglossid family, meaning bony tongue, and is survived by the Arawana, a tropical fish sold in tropical fish and pet shops.  A piece of stone is cemented to the back to make it free standing.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FPHS3 Phareodus, fish is 5" long, slab is 6"x8"

$125.00

$135.31

FPHS4 Phareodus, fish is 5" long, slab is 6.5"x10" SOLD

$185.00

$200.26.


DIPLOMYSTUS DENTATUS

Diplomystus dentatus, fossil fish, Green River, Wyoming FDIP02    Diplomystus dentatus, fossil fish, Green River, Wyoming  FDIP03

These are well preserved examples of Diplomystus dentatus.  Its characteristics are a long anal fin and upward-facing, open mouth characteristic of this 50 million year old surface-feeding species, a freshwater herring ancestor from the Green River Formation of Wyoming.  The color in these specimens is natural and not enhanced.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FDIP02 Diplomystus, fish is 4", slab is 3"x7", free standing  $34.00 $36.81
FDIP03 Diplomystus, fish is 3", slab is 5"x5", free standing  $30.00 $32.48

KNIGHTIA ALTA

Knightia alta Lg6.jpg (746390 bytes)FKNA14   Knightia alta, fossil fish, Eocene Epoch, Green River, WyomingFKNA15      

 Knightia alta12.jpg (587932 bytes)FKNA21     Knightia alta, fossil fish, Eocene Epoch, Green River, WyomingFKNA22     Green River Fossil Fish, Knightia altaFKNA24    

Knightia alta, ancestor to the herring was the most prolific inhabitant of the ancient, Eocene age "Fossil Lake" near what is now Kemmerer in southwestern Wyoming.  The nicely preserved, complete Knightias shown here are from the "split-fish" layers.  They have not been enhanced with any colorization, but have been sealed with Vinac, the preservative used by many fossil preparators.  They all have a piece of stone cemented to the back to make them free standing

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FKNA14 Knightia alta stand-up, fish is 5.5",unusually large, slab-6" x 9"  $68.00 $62.79
FKNA15 Knightia alta stand-up, fish is 4.6", slab is 4" x 8"  $34.00 $36.81
FKNA21 Knightia alta stand-up, fish is 4", slab is 2.5" x 6" $28.00 $30.31
FKNA22 Knightia alta stand-up, fish is 5.2", slab is 4" x9.5"  $34.00 $36.81
FKNA24 Knightia alta stand-up, fish is 4.5", slab is 4.5" x8.3"  $38.00 $41.14

KNIGHTIA MULTIPLES

multi-knightia1.jpg (93477 bytes) FKNA1M     multi-knightia2.jpg (101133 bytes)FKNE2M     multi-knightia3.jpg (90339 bytes)FKNE3M     multi-knightia4.jpg (87828 bytes) FKNA4M 

multi-knightia5.jpg (62687 bytes) FKNE5M    multi-knightia-dip2.jpg (77135 bytes)FDIPKN2M

Sometimes, I split on a layer that contains several fish which were killed by some catastrophic event such as a toxic algae bloom or anoxic bottom water "turning over".  It is uncommon to find more than one fish in a group.  All specimens are free standing except FKNE5M, which has a hanger on back.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FKNA14M Knightia alta double, fish is 4", slab is 4"x7", flaw in fish due to small fault displacement $32.00 $34.64
FKNE2M Knightia eocaena group, fish on left is 3.3", slab is 6"x7" SOLD $32.00 $34.64
FKNE3M Knightia eocaena double, fish on top is 3.3", slab is 5"x6" $36.00 $38.97
FKNE4M Knightia eocaena group, fish on right is 3.3", slab is 3"x6.5" $34.00 $36.81
FKNE5M Knightia eocaena group, fish average 3.3", slab is 8"x14", ready to hang on wall  SOLD $75.00 $81.19
FDIPKN2M Knightia, Diplomystus group, Knightia in center is 4.5", Diplo underneath is 3.4" est. slab is 5"x14" SOLD $75.00 $81.19

KNIGHTIA ALTA SPLIT PAIR

knightia pair stndup.jpg (12254 bytes)FKNAP1    knightia pair L.jpg (56059 bytes)knightia pair R.jpg (56638 bytes) FKNAP2

As you can see by visiting the Virtual Field Trip, these fish are found by splitting the rock along its sedimentary layers with a hammer and chisel.  FKNAP1 and FKNAP2 are specimens of one Knightia alta that were split down the middle so the left and right pieces are the part and counter part of the same fish. This does not happen often.  Each piece has a stone support on the back to make it free standing.  The price is for both pieces.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FKNAP1 Knightia alta pair standup SOLD $45.00 $48.71
FKNAP2 Knightia alta pair SOLD $55.00 $59.54

KNIGHTIA EOCAENA

        Knightia eocaena fossil fish, Green River, WyomingFKNE5    Knightia eocaena12.jpg (455127 bytes)FKNE6

FKNE5 This is a good specimen of the fossil herring ancestor, Knightia eocaena, very similar to Knightia alta but differing in that it has a thinner body and does not ordinarily grow as large as the Knightia alta.  The slab has a stone back to make it free standing.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FKNE5 Knightia eocaena, fish is 3.1", slab is 4" x 5" $26.00 $28.15
FKNE6 Knightia eocaena, fish is 3", slab is 2.5" x 6" $26.00 $30.31

FISH FROM THE "18 INCH LAYER"

            DIPLOMYSTUS DENTATUS

     Large Diplomystus dentatus from the 18" layer, Green River Formation, WyomingF18DIP2      Diplomystus dentatus, 18" layer, Green River Formation, WyomingF18DIP3 

            PRISCACARA LIOPS                               KNIGHTIA EOCAENA

Priscacara liops, Green River Formation, WyomingF18PRL1    Priscacara liops, Green River Formation, Wyoming F18PRL2             Knightia alta, 18" layer, Green River Formation, WyomingF18KE1  

The fossil fish shown above, are estimated to be 50 million years old, from the Eocene Epoch.  These fish are from the famous 18" Layer in which the fish are harder, darker, and much more detailed than the other Green River fish, which are from the split-fish layers.  The darker color is from the rich kerogen content in the rock caused by the anaerobic conditions existing during deposition and fossilization.  In fact, if you scratch the rock and sniff, it smells like a high-sulfur petroleum.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
F18DIP2 Diplomystus-17" long, with Knightia eocaena- 5.3" long,  slab is 26x16"  SOLD

$550.00

$595.38

F18DIP3 Diplomystus, fish is 5.8", slab is 7"x10"  SOLD $75.00 $81.19
F18PRL1 Priscacara, fish is 4.8", slab is 6"x11" $140.00 $151.55
F18PRL2 Priscacara, fish is 5.5", slab is 6.8"x9.5" $160.00 $173.20
F18KE1 Knightia eocaena, fish is 5", slab is 6"x6.5" $60.00 $64.95

PARTIALS

       partials1.jpg (7786 bytes)                    partials2.jpg (8164 bytes)                       partials3.jpg (7639 bytes)

FPRT1L, FPRT1M,  FPRT1R               FPRT2L,  FPRT2M,  FPRT2R               FPRT3L,  FPRT3M,  FPRT3R

These Green River fossil fish are termed "Partials", since they are missing parts and are incomplete.  For this reason, they are unacceptable to the collector and less valuable to the collector, but amazing to the young or student paleontologist.  Also, they are very reasonably priced.  Remember- shipping is included.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
FPRT1L Partial fish on Left, Photo 1 SOLD $8.00 $8.66
FPRT1M Partial fish in Middle, Photo 1 SOLD $6.00 $6.50
FPRT1R Partial fish on Right, Photo 1 SOLD $7.00 $7.58
FPRT2L Partial fish on Left, SOLD $7.00 $7.58
FPRT2M Partial fish in Middle, SOLD $6.00 $6.50
FPRT2R Partial fish on Right, SOLD $7.00 $7.58
FPRT3L Partial fish on Left, Photo 3 $9.00 $7.58
FPRT3M Partial fish in Middle, Photo 3 $6.00 $6.50
FPRT2R Partial fish on Right, Photo 3 $6.00 $6.50

FOSSIL FISH FROM CHINA- LYCOPTERA DAVIDII  

 chinese-fish1.jpg (282975 bytes) CFFL1        chinese-fish2.jpg (351636 bytes) CFFL2        chinese-fish3.jpg (187118 bytes) CFFK3

These are Cretaceous aged (120 million years ago) fossil fish from Liao Ling, Manchuria, China.  They are primitive osteoglossomorph teleosts, with boney skeletons and are related to the Phareodus one finds in the Green River formation.

  Item #  Description  Price (no tax) Price (w/tax TX res)
CFFL1 Lycoptera davidii fossil fish $6.00 $6.50
CFFL2  Lycoptera davidii fossil fish SOLD $8.00 $8.66
CFFK3 Lycoptera davidii fossil fish SOLD $12.00 $12.99

 

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