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 
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.
MASS MORTALITY FOSSIL FISH PLATE
FASH02
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.
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
|
FASH02 |
Ash Layer Mortality Plate SOLD |
$645.00 |
$698.21 |
AMPHIPLAGA BRACHYPTERA
FAMPH2
FAMPH3
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 |
| FAMPH3 | Amphiplaga juvenile | $35.00 | $37.89 |
FOSSIL CRAYFISH
This fossil crayfish Order: Decapoda; Family: Cambaridae; Genus: Procambarus;
Species: primaevusis, is one of only a few I have found in the Green River
formation and is a unique addition to anyone's collection.
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
| FGRCF1 | Fossil Crayfish |
$225.00 |
$243.56 |
MIOPLOSUS LABRACOIDES
FMIO2
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. This plate also contains a nice Knightia (smaller fish on left).
The fish are in a very thin layer of yellowish volcanic ash that periodically caused mass mortalities of fish.
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
| FMIO2 | Mioplosus labracoides, with Knightia SOLD |
$120.00 |
$129.90 |
| FMIO3 | Mioplosus labracoides juvenile |
$40.00 |
$43.3 |
PHAREODUS
FPHS5
FPHS6
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.
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
| FPHS5 | Phareodus SOLD |
$125.00 |
$135.31 |
| FPHS6 | Phareodus |
$125.00 |
$135.31 |
DIPLOMYSTUS DENTATUS
FDIP01 
FDIP02
FDIP03 
FDIP05 
FDIP06 
FDIP07
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) |
| FDIP01 | Diplomystus | $20.00 | $21.65 |
| FDIP02 | Diplomystus | $26.00 | $28.15 |
| FDIP03 | Diplomystus | $22.00 | $23.82 |
| FDIP05 | Diplomystus | $28.00 | $30.31 |
| FDIP06 | Diplomystus | $28.00 | $30.31 |
| FDIP07 | Diplomystus | $26.00 | $28.15 |
EOHIODON FALCATUS
FEOH1 
FEOH2
Eohiodon, the "mooneye", is a fairly rare inhabitant of the Green River Formation. Today, the family Hiodontidae lives only in North America and is exclusively a fresh water family.
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
| FEOH1 | Eohiodon falcatus |
$95.00 |
$102.84 |
| FEOH2 | Eohiodon falcatus |
$125.00 |
$135.31 |
KNIGHTIA ALTA
FKNA25
FKNA26
FKNA27
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.
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
| FKNA25 | Knightia alta with partial fish still under sediment | $34.00 | $36.81 |
| FKNA26 | Knightia alta in volcanic ash layer | $30.00 | $32.48 |
| FKNA24 | Knightia alta stand-up, fish is 4.5", slab is 4.5" x8.3" | $30.00 | $32.48 |
KNIGHTIA MULTIPLE
FKNE5M 
FKNE6M
FKNE7M 
FKNE8M
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. FKNE5M, has a hanger on back.
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
| FKNE5M | Knightia eocaena group, fish average 3.3", slab is 8"x14", ready to hang on wall | $45.00 | $48.71 |
| FKNE6M | Knightia eocaena group, fish average 3.3" | $45.00 | $48.71 |
| FKNE7M | Knightia eocaena double | $30.00 | $32.48 |
| FKNE8M | Knightia eocaena with partial | $28.00 | $30.31 |
KNIGHTIA EOCAENA SPLIT PAIR
FKNEP1
FKNEP2
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.
These are specimens of one fish 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. The price is for the pair.
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
| FKNEP1 | Knightia eocaena pair | $38.00 | $41.14 |
| FKNEP2 | Knightia eocaena pair | $38.00 | $41.14 |
KNIGHTIA EOCAENA
FKNE1
FKNE2 
FKNE3 
FKNE4 
FKNE5
These are good specimens 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..
| Item # | Description | Price (no tax) | Price (w/tax TX res) |
| FKNE1 | Knightia eocaena | $30.00 | $32.45 |
| FKNE2 | Knightia eocaena | $24.00 | $25.98 |
| FKNE3 | Knightia eocaena | $24.00 | $25.98 |
| FKNE4 | Knightia eocaena | $30.00 | $32.45 |
| FKNE5 | Knightia eocaena | $32.00 | $34.64 |
FISH FROM THE "18 INCH LAYER"
KNIGHTIA EOCAENA
F18KE2
The fossil fish shown above, is estimated to be 50 million years old, from the Eocene Epoch. It is 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) |
| F18KE2 | Knightia eocaena from 18" Layer SOLD | $40.00 | $43.30 |
PARTIALS
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 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
CFFL4 
CFFL5 
CFFL6 
CFFL7
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) |
| CFFL4 | Lycoptera davidii fossil fish | $6.00 | $6.50 |
| CFFL5 | Lycoptera davidii fossil fish | $8.00 | $8.66 |
| CFFL6 | Lycoptera davidii fossil fish | $8.00 | $8.66 |
| CFFL7 | Lycoptera davidii fossil fish | $8.00 | $8.66 |
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