1.3" Oligocene Fossil Lanternfish (Eomyctophum) - Poland

This is a 1.3" long lanternfish fossil of the genus Eomyctophum that's nicely preserved on a slab of limestone. It comes out of the nannofossil biozone NP24 of the Jaslo Limestone near Sobniów, Poland. The fish is beautifully preserved with much of its bone structure present.


The genus Eomyctophum is assigned to this extinct lanternfish, or myctophid (family Myctophidae), extant species of which are known for their bioluminescence. Their remains are known from throughout eastern Europe and western Asia in both the Caucasus and Carpathians. In these deposits, the presence of articulated skeletons and otoliths suggests it was a particularly common fish.

There is a repaired crack through the limestone/fossil.

You can read more about the ichthyofauna from the Jasło Limestone/Shales of Sobniów, here.

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/100174#page/1/mode/1up