2.9" Locust (Pycnophlebia) With Ammonite - Solnhofen Limestone

This is a 2.9" fossil Locust (Pycnophlebia) from Solnhofen Limestone, Germany. The detailed preservation shows wing venation, the head and legs. There is an unidentified ammonite on one of the wings. This was deposited after the locust. Locusts are a very rare component of the Solnhofen fauna.

The Solnhofen limestone is a famous Upper Jurassic lagerstätte in Germany. It is where one of the most famous fossils of all time, Archaeopteryx, was found. The fine-grained limestone makes excellent building material, which has led to heavy quarrying over the past two centuries. In the process, some spectacular fossils were unearthed, including fossil dragonflies, fish, pterosaurs, shrimp, horseshoe crabs, and many more.

This area represents an ancient archipelago at the edge of a sea. Due to high salt content, the lowest levels in the water column could not support much life and were largely devoid of oxygen. This lack of oxygen and scavengers on the bottom of the sea led to beautiful fossil preservation.

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DETAILS
SPECIES
Pycnophlebia robusta
LOCATION
Eichstatt, Bavaria, Germany
FORMATION
Solnhofen Limestone
SIZE
2.9", 6.1 x 5.9" limestone
CATEGORY
ITEM
#108919
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our specimens.