Species: Mioplosus, Knightia Age: Eocene (approx. 50 million years old) Source: Green River, WY Size: 5" x 5"
This incredible plate features two beautifully preserved species of fossilized fish! Mioplosus is an extinct genus of freshwater fish distantly related to modern-day pike-perches, while knightia is an extinct genus belonging to the same family as herrings and sardines.
The unusual chemical conditions at the bottom of Fossil Lake, part of the Green River formation in Wyoming, slowed bacterial decomposition, prevented scavengers from disturbing corpses, and suffocated creatures that ventured into the oxygen-starved aquatic layer. This resulted in a range of perfectly preserved animal remains, including a number of these incredibly well-preserved prehistoric fish.
