30" Fossil Fish Wall Mounted Slab - Wyoming

This is a very displayable fossil fish "mural" from the Green River Formation of Wyoming. It measures 30x22.7" and there are five detailed fossil fish on the rock. The main fish is a is 14.2" long Mioplosus, one of more uncommon species in the formation. There is a Priscacara and a Knightia naturally associated with it, two more fossil Knightia have been inlaid into the rock for aesthetic purposes, but otherwise there is no restoration or painting to the fish. The slab of rock has been backed with wood for stability and to allow wall mounting hardware to be installed.

Fossil fish from the 18 inch layer split out "ghosted" underneath the surface of the rock. Typically only bumps from the back bone can be seen in faint relief against the surface of the rock. Because of this they typically collect this layer at night using high powered lighting which allow them to better see the shadows from these bumps on the rock. These fish must then be prepared removing all of the matrix from on top of them, a very meticulous and time consuming process.

The lake itself is known as "Fossil Lake" and it existed 50 million years ago in what is now Wyoming and is believed to have covered approximately 930 square miles. It had an unusual chemistry that inhibited the decay and scavenging of dead organisms while think layers of limestone and organic matter accumulated. This special set of circumstances has lead to the beautiful preservation of fish and other fossils within the Green River Formation.