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FULLY ARTICULATED SET OF GARFISH ARMOR SCALES Kem Kem region of the Sahara Desert, Morocco CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 99 - 93 million years ago
Only found as single isolated scales in the Cretaceous beds of the Kem Kem, this is the first time we have ever seen a genuine ARTICULATED set of fossil Gar fish scales! This fossil is as rare as it is unique. The scales are superbly preserved in a blend of oranges and reds and are as found, not a composite of unrelated fossil scales. This is a highly rare fossil occurrence of remains from this giant predatory bony fish from the era when most of the popular dinosaurs ruled the earth.
The fish that these rhomboid scales came from were large, cylindrical bone fish with long jaws lined with very large and long pointed teeth. Estimated lengths that these creatures grew to exceed 12 feet in length. They had a lung lined with blood vessels instead of a conventional swim bladder. This enabled the Gar fish to breath out of water for brief periods and survive times of drought while living in very shallow water and mud. The vertebra are similar to the ball and socket structure of reptiles, not typical bony fishes. They spawn in the Spring and their roe is poisonous.
The scales of the Gar fish were arranged like overlapping shingles on a roof and were made up of thick successive layers of an enamel-like substance called GANOINE. The Gar fish are members of the family of large bony fish called Lepisosteidae. These are extremely fierce predators that survive today in limited numbers and are known to prey upon many other types of fish and animals, often destroying entire populations of prey in their vicinity.
EXTREMELY RARE - FIRST ARTICULATED SET WE HAVE EVER SEEN! 2 " x 1.9 " overall, each scale varies from 1.6" - 1.1" in length SOLD MV3001 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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