IMAGE BELOW SHOWS OBVIOUS RAISED RIGHT EYE AND FAINT LEFT EYE ON THE HEAD.  AREAS OF DARK RED AND BRIGHT ORANGE DEPICT ORIGINAL LAYERS OF PRESERVED CARAPACE - EXTREMELY RARE!!!

EXTREMELY RARE DEVONIAN SEA SCORPION EURYPTERID FOSSIL FROM GERMANY WITH NATURAL COLOR AND 3D DETAIL

Western Germany

LOWER DEVONIAN (EMSIAN) PERIOD:  407 - 397.5 million years ago

While Silurian Period eurypterid fossils are readily available on the fossil market, DEVONIAN Period specimens are NOT.  This is not only a chance to acquire an EXTREMELY RARE example from the Devonian Period but also a chance to acquire one from an extremely rare source in Germany.  Fossils like these are so rare they are not commercially mined like the New York varieties.  This is one of only six specimens acquired direct from the original collector and once we sell out of these, we will never have anything like this again of this type or provenance as the site has been closed for quite some time, reserved only for scientific study and access. 

This complete prehistoric EURYPTERID (otherwise known as a SEA SCORPION) is of the ADELOPTHALMIDAE group of eurypterids from the Early Devonian deposits of Europe.  It is shown in 100% natural form on the original rock it was found on.  The surrounding matrix was ground away and the fossil was sealed with a stabilizer to protect its delicate natural three-dimensional features such as areas of original carapace layers and natural colors of orange, yellow and brown.  The close-up images of the head show evidence of a right eye and original fossil carapace in bright pumpkin orange and gold hues.  Fine detail of appendage segments can also be seen.  No words can emphasize the sheer rarity of this specimen.  It cannot be compared to any of the common North American specimens, in any way.  If you wish to exhibit an ULTRA-RARE West European specimen from the Devonian, and one with substantial size and great preservation, this is a chance that will not come again.  Outside of this small collection we acquired, we have only seen one other example from Germany for sale. 

Collected several decades ago when it was legal to dig in the deposit (long since closed and protected by the Germany government) and recently prepared in our lab, this is a complete Early Devonian fossil of a sea scorpion too rare to be accurately attributed to a specific species other than attributed to the family of Adelopthalmidae, due to the scarcity of known specimens.  NO FABRICATION OR RESTORATION.

Eurypterids are fascinating fossils and represent what many to believe to be the first life-forms that progressed out of water onto dry land.  This fossil represents a scientific keystone in the progression and variety of Earth's life-forms and natural history and would surely be an important inventory specimen in ANY collection.  For trilobite or other fossil arthropod collections, this would definitely be one of the central specimens of visitor interest in a public or private forum. 

EURYPTERIDS or SEA SCORPIONS were aquatic arthropods that were highly efficient predators predating the most primitive fishes.  The largest known arthropods to have ever lived were eurypterids.  Eurypterids are believed to have possibly had dual breathing capabilities in order to allow them to live in water and also venture for short periods of time onto dry land.  Eurypterids are also scientifically interesting fossils because they are believed to be related to a predatory arthropod found in Cambrian strata dating from 510 million years ago demonstrating the first evidence of creatures emerging from water to walk on land.

All eurypterids are extinct and their fossil remains are found in deposits ranging from the Ordovician Period to the Permian Period.  Eurypterids are crustacean-like creatures that had a chitinous exoskeleton similar to trilobites.  Also similar to trilobites, eurypterids are made up of three fundamental regions - a head (CEPHALON or PROSOMA), a body (ABDOMEN or OPISTHOSOMA) and a tail spike (TELSON or TERMINAL METASOMA).  The upper body and head are often combined in terminology to be called a CEPHALOTHORAX and the main body called an ABDOMEN. 

Eurypterids have compound eyes and typically had six pairs of appendages found near the head.  The first pair were claws (although some varieties lacked claws), followed by four pairs of walking legs and finally, a pair of swimming appendages (also lacking in some varieties).  Some types achieved lengths of 2.5 meters but most were between 10 to 12 cm long. 

 RARE BEYOND MEASURE WITH THREE-DIMENSIONAL ANATOMY AND NATURAL COLOR - FROM THE DEVONIAN OF WESTERN EUROPE!

13.25" by 6.25" overall with rock plate, eurypterid is 8.25" in length if straightened

$4495     EUR002     Actual Item - One Only

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE EURYPTERID FOSSILS FOR SALE

References:

- Tetlie, O. Erik, 2007.  Distribution and dispersal history of Eurypterida (Chelicerata)

- Owen, Richard 1852. "Description of the impressions and footprints of the Protichnites from the Potsdam Sandstone of Canada". Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London 8: 214–225.

4495