Auction Name: 2026 April 29 Nature & Science Signature® Auction

Lot Number: 72209

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/8248*72209

Fossil Beetles
Hydrophilius sp. & Cybister sp.
Pleistocene
Rancho La Brea Formation, Kern County, California, USA

This tar-preserved assemblage features two Fossil Beetles of the genera Hydrophilius and Cybister, recovered from the famed Pleistocene deposits of the Rancho La Brea Formation in Kern County, California. The asphalt seeps, renowned for preserving "Ice Age" fauna, also captured smaller organisms with striking clarity, providing valuable insight into the insects that inhabited ancient wetlands and ponds. The glossy black beetles rest upon the dark, Pumice-like matrix as though caught in the act of burrowing, their forms appearing almost to sink into the lightweight stone. The placement of the arthropods lends the association a natural quality, suggesting an unceremonious moment of entrapment prior to permanent preservation. Distinctive both for the pairing of two recognizable aquatic beetle genera and the iconic matrix that supports them, the specimen offers a compelling microcosm of life within the Rancho La Brea ecosystem during the "Ice Age."
Overall Measurements: 2.42 x 2.24 x 2.18 inches (6.14 x 5.69 x 5.54 cm)

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