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CATURUS FISH POSITIVE / NEGATIVE ON LITHOGRAPHIC LIMESTONE SLAB Solnhofen Plattenkalk Formation - Eichstatt, Germany JURASSIC PERIOD: 155 million years ago WARNING: We have noticed an increasing occurrence of heavily restored and painted examples in the marketplace of various types of German lithographic limestone fossils. Similar to the plethora of enhanced fossil fish from Lebanon and Green River, Wyoming, the fins, teeth and other detail are painted on with the finest of skill but this is done over a sculpted and/or carved surface to give the impression of a genuine feature. If the price seems too good to be true, then that should be the first and most obvious 'red flag'. The highest grade GENUINE fossils are rare and have high worldwide intrinsic value. There are no 'bargains'. While fossils from this region can exhibit the finest possible preservation of any site in the world, they are extremely rare and occur with less frequency compared to most other fossil-bearing formations. Famous for producing an astonishing diversity of rare and most intricately preserved fossils found anywhere in the world, the Jurassic lithographic limestone deposits of southern Germany are legendary. Specimens of the Solnhofen Plattenkalk limestone in Eichstatt have been discovered displaying a remarkable quality of preservation and detail and are considered amongst the world's finest and rarest fossil deposits. This particular specimen is an superb grade example of the Caturus species of holostean or bony ganoid fish. It is wonderfully preserved and is COMPLETE. Fin and internal bone structures are fantastic and even the jaws are intact and articulated in a closed position with all teeth. We are offering here both the positive and negative impression of the fossil which is rare and even more so, both slabs are unbroken! Fossil fish from Solnhofen of this caliber are very rare but the presence of both INTACT sides of the layer in which this fish was found make this an extra special example. Specimen is 100% authentic and natural. Other specimens of Caturus can be had for a fraction of the price of this specimen but they will also possess a fraction of the quality of this specimen. Inexpensive examples will have damage, be incomplete and will be enhanced by painting and/or carving of the rock to simulate veins in the fins, ribs and other bone detail. ALL the detail you see across this Caturus IS GENUINE and all bones, teeth, jaw detail, coloration and scale imprints are authentic. The coloration on this example is completely natural. The close-up images show CHOICE preservation with zero fabrication to any part. Caturus was a primitive species of fish that thrived during the Jurassic Period but went extinct by the Lower Cretaceous Period. This was a mid-size streamlined fish similar to modern salmon. Caturus was a fast swimming predator and had powerful, toothy jaws. It possessed ganoid scales but as a member of the holosteans, was a more developed fish compared to the ganoid-scaled but cartilaginous chondrosteans. The holosteans had a bony skeleton compared to the unossified vertebral column of earlier chondrostean fish. Caturus is unique in that its vertebral column is only partially ossified which is why it is usually without much detail as it was more compressible during the burial and subsequent fossilization process. The scales of holosteans are a blend of a rhomboid and cycloid profile. Caturus had scales that are more to cycloid in nature. Another feature of the holosteans is the presence of a fully functional swim bladder enabling neutral buoyancy compared to the earlier chondrosteans where fin movement was required to maintain a stationary position despite the presence of a swim bladder, albeit a smaller, barely functional one. Some of the largest dinosaurs that ever walked the earth were in existence when Caturus swam in the ancient seas alongside massive plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs! This wonderful two slab specimen is not only an impressive display fossil but offers a rare and educational view of how these fossils are found under ideal conditions. SUPERB QUALITY - EXCELLENT DISPLAY SET OF BOTH THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPRINT! Both slabs 10.75" - 10" in length x 7" high overall with fish 6.75" long SOLD For BOTH FG010 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
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