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RARE SPECIES EARLIEST KNOWN PRIMITIVE ELOPIFORM ANAETHALION FISH FOSSIL FROM SOLNHOFEN Solnhofen Plattenkalk Formation - Eichstatt, Germany JURASSIC PERIOD: 160 million years ago 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. Quarries in the region are privately held and mostly worked by hand on a small scale. The finest grade fossils are few and far between and much rock must be split to locate them. The best fossils are most often kept by the quarry owners who themselves, are often collectors. Some quarries are operated on a large scale but these are now dug with machinery instead of manual labor. Because of this the rock is damaged and along with it, the rare fossils. What all this means today is that even fewer fine grade Solnhofen fossils are found and when they are, rarely do the best pieces make it to market. Occasionally, an old private collection surfaces and specimens are sold or traded. This is where the rare opportunity comes along to acquire a specimen on a level that truly is a prize find. Typically, the older material is often the best as it was collected when the deposits were first being worked and quality was in greater abundance. Considered a scientifically important fossil, this is a fine specimen of the primitive fish species Anaethalion knorri. While fish are common fossils found in the Solnhofen deposits, certain fish species are abundant while others are very scarce. This is one of those instances that presents itself as an opportunity to add an uncommon species to a collection with evolution-themed exhibits or museums seeking key species to display of primitive fish. The original limestone plate the fossil is UNBROKEN with light color that contrasts with the natural, gold color of the fish fossil. The fish has NO REPAIR AND NO RESTORATION and shows very finely detailed bones and fins. An absolute MUST HAVE fossil for the collections wishing to include scarce, very primitive fish types, the evolutionist collector or major museum curator. Anaethalion is in the order Elopiformes. Order Elopiformes is one of four orders that make up the superorder Elopomorpha, a group considered to be one of the most primitive of bony fishes, or Teleosts. These archaic ray-finned fish are of the class Actinopterygii and characterized by a single dorsal fin composed of soft rays only, cycloid scales, and toothed maxillae. The genus Anaethalion, from the deposits of Bavaria and France, is an elopiform fish of great importance for understanding the origin and early diversification of major teleostean lineages. Although Anaethalion is extinct, there are living rayfishes that includes the Tarpons (Megalops) and the ladyfishes (Elops). Elopiforms live in marine and brackish water habitats. As is usual with primitive groups, the elopiforms have an extensive fossil record with a greater number of species now extinct than are still alive. The specimen's exceptional detail can be attributed to the meticulous MANUAL HAND PREPARATION in the manner that museum fossils were prepared a hundred years ago. This is a rare fish from the Solnhofen formation and is seldom found on the market. A perfect specimen for displaying the emergence and lineage of primitive bony fish as this is considered one of the earliest known species of its kind from these deposits. 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 fossil fish from Lebanon, the fins, teeth and other detail are painted on with the finest of skill but this is done over a sculpted 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' other than paying for the quality you wish to possess. 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. Some of the largest dinosaurs that ever walked the earth were in existence when this species swam in the ancient seas alongside massive plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs! FINE SPECIMEN AND UNCOMMON WITH IMMENSE SCIENTIFIC IMPORTANCE AS THIS IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST RAY-FINNED FISH KNOWN! 12.25" x 6" high overall with fish 4.75" long $875 F072 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
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