13.8" Fat Tailed Ray (Asterotrygon) - Very Rare

This is a beautifully preserved and very detailed example of the rarer species of ray (Asterotrygon maloneyi) from the Green River Formation. Most of the rays that come out of the formation are Heliobatis and the easiest way to distinguish between the two genus is Asterotrygon has a much shorter/fatter tail. It's been estimated that there there is only one Asterotrygon found for every forty Heliobatis.

The specimen is 13.8" long and is nicely centered on a 14x13" slab of shale which has been backed with wood for stability. We can install a french cleat hanging system allowing the piece to be easily hung on a wall for no charge. There is some very minor restoration to the specimen.

Asterotrygon is a relatively primitive type of ray whose family relationship has yet to be clearly resolved. It was not officially described until 2004. The tailed would not have been nearly as flexible as the "whip tail" of Heliobatis.