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ULTRA RARE THREE DIMENSIONALLY-PRESERVED CRETACEOUS SPONGE WITH DELICATE INTACT ANATOMY North Central Germany UPPER CRETACEOUS PERIOD: 83 - 71 million years ago A very rare occurrence can be found in a unique Cretaceous fossil deposit in North Central Germany. A variety of highly unusual SPONGE FOSSILS have been found in FULL THREE DIMENSIONAL PRESERVATION that is unlike almost every other sponge fossil you will ever encounter. The different shapes and types are so rare and uncommon that they have not been studied enough to be attributed to any species but the varieties are nothing short of alien-looking! These specific fossil sponges are so bizarre because when they are found in this one rare locality, they are completely lifelike with full three-dimensional preservation looking as if they were alive seconds ago before being turned to stone. We purchased a small but incredibly rare private collection of the finest specimens collected from the original excavator. When they are all gone, they will never be available again. The majority of the sponges we acquired were all free from their matrix. They were broken free by the original collector but left unprepared when we acquired them. Every specimen we will offer from this collection has been meticulously prepared by us in our lab with the latest technology and equipment. The photos above show the minute surface detail is intact as if still alive! Because this one sponge was left STILL ATTACHED to its original matrix, a VERY RARE FEATURE is present that we have not seen in all the other specimens we have. The upper portion of the sponge is POINTED! We found this rare anatomy in ONLY THIS ONE SINGLE specimen! Whether it is preserved flagellae or some portion of the body covering, it certainly is extremely rare. We prepared this portion still supported by a "bridge" of matrix beneath to ensure it does not get broken. Remember, this sponge fossil is WITHOUT ANY REPAIR OR FABRICATION! Beyond rare and with our highest recommendation for the ultimate in invertebrate marine life from the final days of the dinosaurs! Regardless of your interests in fossil collecting, one cannot help being totally fascinated to be able to witness a fully preserved, life-like sponge in complete inflated form from the Cretaceous seas. You could make latex molds of the different varieties found at this locality and make casts that could be used in 100% accurate Cretaceous marine dioramas! The state of preservation when they are found complete, is nothing short of breath-taking! The vast majority of fossil sponges in the world are very, very poorly preserved and mostly represented by only fragments. These sponges are unlike anything else we have ever encountered and their supply is extremely limited from this one, single locality. Once all of our limited collection are sold, it is likely you will never see such a realistic and phenomenal state of preservation in a fossilized sponge ever again!
Sponges belong to the scientific group called PORIFERA. These
creatures have an origin that dates back to over 500 million years ago.
Sponges are extremely primitive creatures that live attached to the
ocean floor, in some cases, at extreme depths. They are one of the
earliest known examples of coordination between cells of differing
functions in an organism. Their bodies are made up of a porous
covering over a skeleton composed of calcium or silicon. The
skeleton and its spicules form a latticework whereby water is drawn into
the sponge body. Oxygen and food is filtered out and the water is
expelled either out the upper or outer surface of the sponge.
Flagellae beat inside the main hollow tube to keep the water circulating
within the body. Fossil sponges have been found dating back to the
Lower Cambrian while associated fossilized body parts have been found in
Pre-Cambrian deposits.
Due to their structure,
fossils of sponges are almost always found in very poor states of
preservation and in fragments. AN EXTREME RARITY IN THE FOSSIL WORLD - RARELY SEEN LIFELIKE, FULLY INFLATED 3D PRESERVATION COMPLETE AND UNBROKEN! 4.5" x 3.5" overall in matrix with sponge 3" in length SOLD SP001 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
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