9.3" Fossil Fish (Diplomystus) With Large Knightia - Wyoming

This is a pair of fossil fish from the Green River Formation of Wyoming. The larger of the two fish is a 9.3" long Diplomystus dentatus and the other is a large Knightia eocaena. They are both presented on a solid, squared off section of grey shale.

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
Diplomystus dentatus & Knightia eocaena
LOCATION
Lindgren Quarry, Kemmerer, Wyoming
FORMATION
Green River Formation
SIZE
Fish 9.3 & 5.6", Rock 11x11.2"
CATEGORY
ITEM
#163516
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