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.


MASS MORTALITY FOSSIL FISH PLATE

 Large wall hanging with 13 good fossil fish 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

Amphyplaga fossil fish, Green River, WyomingFAMPH2       Amphiplaga juvenile.jpg (732487 bytes) 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

Poster showing Fossil Fish of the Green River Formation, Wyoming  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

Part prepped 18.jpg (758480 bytes)FMIO2      Mioplosus juvenile.jpg (833661 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.  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

Part prepped 14.jpg (835347 bytes)FPHS5       Part prepped 15.jpg (959785 bytes) 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

Diplo1.jpg (562646 bytes) FDIP01       Diplo2.jpg (583163 bytes)  FDIP02       Diplomystus 1.jpg (778467 bytes) FDIP03          Diplo5.jpg (921931 bytes) FDIP05     Diplo6.jpg (715111 bytes) FDIP06     Diplo7.jpg (472826 bytes) 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

Eohiodon1.jpg (974609 bytes) FEOH1        Eohiodon2.jpg (659436 bytes) 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

  Knightia alta lg.jpg (762717 bytes)FKNA25   Knightia alta ash.jpg (922283 bytes)FKNA26        Knightia alta.jpg (41291 bytes) 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

multi-knightia5.jpg (62687 bytes) FKNE5M       Part prepped 12.jpg (785252 bytes) FKNE6M    knightia double.jpg (692343 bytes) FKNE7M    knightia double 2.jpg (605145 bytes) 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

Knightia eocaena pair.jpg (597453 bytes)FKNEP1       Knightia pair2.jpg (635501 bytes) 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

        Knightia eocaena1.jpg (726857 bytes)FKNE1       Knightia eocaena2.jpg (436486 bytes) FKNE2       Knightia eocaena3.jpg (497129 bytes) FKNE3       Knightia eocaena4.jpg (531394 bytes) FKNE4       Knightia eocaena5.jpg (513787 bytes) 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

        Knightia 18 inch.jpg (1298292 bytes) 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

       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 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  

 Lycoptera.jpg (594370 bytes) CFFL4        Lycoptera2.jpg (565420 bytes) CFFL5        Lycoptera3.jpg (507758 bytes) CFFL6    Lycoptera4.jpg (665460 bytes) 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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