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ULTRA RARE LARGE HORSESHOE CRAB FOSSIL FROM THE CRETACEOUS DINOSAUR-ERA Sub-lithographic Limestone Formation - Nammoura, Lebanon LATE CRETACEOUS (CENOMIAN): 95 million years ago For the first time in our careers, this specimen and one other acquired from the same collection and transaction are the only two Cretaceous horseshoe crab fossils of their type we have ever encountered. It is most likely that this is an undescribed species. This specimen is mostly likely a part of the genus Limulus or Mesolimulus but no scientific paper on it could be located. It came from a very old European collection so recent field data is not available. It is most definitely the rarest of horseshoe crabs we would ever be able to offer. Furthermore, it is a stunning display piece since most prehistoric horseshoe crabs are of a much smaller size, such as the examples from Solnhofen in Germany. The limestone slab this horseshoe crab is on is the original slab of the fossil. There is only repair done to cracks sustained during excavation and very minor restoration (1-2% overall), mainly on the genal spines. Not evident in the photo are all the original posterior fringe spines on each side of the tail portion and the long tail spine impression is 100% original, as well. The interior cartilage structures can still be seen in extremely rare three dimensional form! The perimeter impression of the head is natural and well-defined. For its RARE source provenance, this is really a remarkable example but the unusually large size for prehistoric horseshoe crabs and its stunning preservation make this a true investment specimen as well as a highly impressive showcase display specimen. It is a prize example for the very discriminating collector seeking to acquire only the best fossils available. Specimens like this are true investments considering the world-wide appeal of fossils and the demand for the rarest and finest examples such as this. Beware of the swarm of carved and/or painted fake slab fossils of all different forms of sea life from Lebanon. It is quite the norm to take blank rock or rock with only a tiny portion of a fossil body and recreate the entire animal in paint and carving. The NATURAL presence of very fine details can be seen on close inspection but fakes will lack such detail. Please see here for further explanation. To sum it up, you won't find a RARER horseshoe crab fossil than such a specimen. This is one of only two examples we have ever seen of this type come from Lebanon's Cretaceous. Well-suited for collectors or museums that wish to focus on extremely scarce additions to their collections. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. One of the most famous fossils from the prehistoric oceans are horseshoe crab fossils of the genera Limulus and Mesolimulus. These prehistoric species are closely related to the modern horseshoe crabs that can be found in shallow tidewaters off the Atlantic coast of northeastern U.S.A. and in some Pacific islands as well as Japan. This crustacean has a large carapace that covers the head and front portion of the thorax. The horseshoe crab has six pairs of legs hidden and protected beneath the shell with the first set having large pincers and the remaining five pairs used in locomotion across the ocean floor. Horseshoe crabs spend most of their time burrowing just beneath the surface of muddy lagoon bottoms in search of food, namely, worms and tiny mollusks. The horseshoe crab could also crawl out of water for short periods such as during mating season when males and females spawned in wet sand at the water's edge. Despite their menacing appearance, the horseshoe crab was not a dangerous creature and its long tail was not a weapon but instead, used as a rudder and to aid the crab in righting itself should it be accidentally flipped over.
EXTREMELY RARE HORSESHOE CRAB SOURCE AND TYPE (POSSIBLY UNDESCRIBED SPECIES) MUCH LARGER THAN GERMAN EXAMPLES FROM THE JURASSIC - ONE OF ONLY TWO SPECIMENS WE ACQUIRED FROM AN OLD EUROPEAN COLLECTION 15" x 9" overall with matrix, crab is 10.5" long SOLD CRUS-005 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
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