12.5" Fish Fossil (Phareodus) With Visible Teeth - Wyoming

This is a beautiful, 12.5" long fossil fish (Phareodus) from the Green River Formation of Wyoming. It was collected from the 18 inch layer of the formation at a quarry near Kemmerer, Wyoming. Excellent preservation and preparation work on this specimen. Just check out the mouthful of teeth!

This specimen is natural, unrestored and nicely presented on a thick slab of rock measuring 16 x 12.1". It comes with a display stand though we can add a backing and wall hanger upon request.

Phareodus is a genus of predatory freshwater fish found in the famous Fossil Lake deposits of the Green River Formation in Wyoming. It had a mouthful of sharp pointy teeth, making it a voracious lake predator. In fact, the name Phareodus actually means "to have teeth". Spines from other fish such as Mioplosus and Priscacara have frequently been found preserved in their stomachs.

50 million years ago, in the Eocene, 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
Phareodus sp.
LOCATION
Kemmerer, Wyoming
FORMATION
Green River Formation
SIZE
12.5" long on 16 x 12.1" rock
CATEGORY
ITEM
#172945
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