PRISCACARA & COCKERELLITES FOSSIL FISH FOR SALE

Priscacara and Cockerellites are two genera of extinct temperate bass described from the Eocene aged Green River Formation of Wyoming. They are a favorite among fossil collectors due to their elegant appearance, particularly when the dorsal spines are splayed out and pointing upwards.

These two genus have a very similar appearance and some authors debate whether they should be considered separate genera at all. Cockerellites was a schooling fish that was fairly abundant in mid-lake deposits while Priscacara is much rarer and typically found in near-shore deposits. Cockerellites maxes out in the 5-6" range, while Priscacara could occasionally reach sizes as large as 16 inches long.

Other than size, the main differentiating factors are the number of dorsal and anal fin rays, and the size of the mouth. Priscacara typically has 8 anal fin rays, while Cockerellites has 11 or 12. Priscacara also has a large mouth sporting an array of fearsome-looking teeth, while the Cockerellites mouth is relatively small.
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8 Items ($99 to $2,450)