Fossil Fish. Mioplosus sp.. Eocene. Green River Formation. Lincoln County, Kemmerer, Wyoming, USA. 12.56 x...

Description

Fossil Fish
Mioplosus sp.
Eocene
Green River Formation
Lincoln County, Kemmerer, Wyoming, USA
12.56 x 9.92 x 0.68 inches (31.90 x 25.20 x 1.73 cm)

Mioplosus is a genus of perciform fish, meaning related to perches and basses, that lived from the early to mid-Eocene. These fish were built for speed, as exhibited by their slender bodies and parallel drag-cutting fins that allowed for the efficient pursuit of lunch and were essentially the prehistoric lake fish equivalent of F/A-18 Hornet jet fighters. These fish were thought to be solitary, aggressive, piscivorous predators in maturity despite an early lifestyle of nearshore schooling behavior observed in many other small fish species. This particular specimen is gorgeously preserved with a great dark brown hue that contrasts strongly against the lighter tan matrix. The extremely fine details of the skeletal structure, fins, and even the serrated mouth have been expertly presented in this rather large fossil plate. This is an uncommon offering with a lot of appeal.

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