5.5" Jurassic, Fossil Lobster (Mecochirus) - Solnhofen Limestone

Jurassic, Fossil Lobster (Mecochirus) - Solnhofen Limestone #192771

This is a 5.5" fossil lobster (Mecochirus longimanus) from Solnhofen, Germany. It shows the carapace (head), extended claws, abdominal scales in great detail. Touch up restoration can be found in small spots across most of the specimen, with the most significant restoration along both extended claws (about %25 restored) and the tail fin. Both walking legs have been restored, along with the proximal swimmeret.

This gorgeous fossil lobster is located on an unbroken, 11.6 x 8.6" slab of limestone. Comes with a display stand.

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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