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23" Uncommon Fossil Fish (Notogoneus) - Wyoming
This is a massive, 23" long fossil fish (Notogoneus osculus), one of the larger and more uncommon fish found in the Green River Formation. It was collected recently from the 18 inch layer near Kemmerer, Wyoming. The plate has been backed with wood and mounting hardware for horizontal display.
Notogoneus was a predator and the down-turned mouth is probably an indicator that it fed on prey along the lake's bottom. It is thought that its scarcity results from the fact that it's believed to have migrated between the lake and the rivers that fed it, throughout the year.
About The 18 Inch Layer Of Fossil Lake
Specimens like this come from the coveted 18 inch layer of the Green River Formation, which produces darker and more detailed fish than the majority on the market. The rock from this layer is much harder and more durable than other layers in the formation, likely due to its initial deposition conditions in deep water. Because of these conditions, fish found in the 18-inch layer can be extracted whole and in excellent condition. This layer is typically collected at night using low-angle light to see the bump in the rock that the fish's backbone creates. They then cut these fish out and take them to a lab where the fish, which may be up to an inch under the surface of the rock, are meticulously extracted under microscope with hand tools.
A view of the 18 inch layer of the Green River Formation at the Lindgren quarry near Kemmerer, Wyoming.
Specimens like this come from the coveted 18 inch layer of the Green River Formation, which produces darker and more detailed fish than the majority on the market. The rock from this layer is much harder and more durable than other layers in the formation, likely due to its initial deposition conditions in deep water. Because of these conditions, fish found in the 18-inch layer can be extracted whole and in excellent condition. This layer is typically collected at night using low-angle light to see the bump in the rock that the fish's backbone creates. They then cut these fish out and take them to a lab where the fish, which may be up to an inch under the surface of the rock, are meticulously extracted under microscope with hand tools.
A view of the 18 inch layer of the Green River Formation at the Lindgren quarry near Kemmerer, Wyoming.
SPECIES
Notogoneus osculus
LOCATION
Kemmerer, Wyoming
FORMATION
Green River Formation - 18 Inch Layer
SIZE
Fish: 23" long, Shale: 30.7 x 17.5", Weight: 30 lbs
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#299813
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