Rare 12.3" Devonian Fish (Gyroptychius) Fossil - Scotland

Rare Devonian Fish (Gyroptychius) Fossil - Scotland #304822

This is a beautful 12.3" long Early Devonian fossil fish (Gyroptychius agassizi). It was collected from the Old Red Sandstone in the Orkney Isles of Scotland. This is one of the more infrequently seen fish from the location. It's nicely centered on a 14" by 8.75" slab of limestone.

Comes with an acrylic-metal display stand.

There is a repaired crack along a natural seam running through the caudal fin. Some additional repairs can be found near this fin where the rock/fossil flaked up during collection. The distal end of the caudal fin is incomplete.

Gyroptychius was a fast riverine predator with an elongated body, short jaws, and relatively small eyes. Its small eyes indicate that it may have hunted by smell rather than sight and its short jaws would have given it a powerful bite. All its fins except the pectorals were moved to the back to the body, increasing the power of the tail while swimming.

Gyroptychius is sometimes described as a “lungfish” but it is actually a genus in the extinct family Osteolepididae, which is closer to the ancestry of amphibians than lungfishes. It is a lesser-known relative of Osteolepis which is also known from the Orkney site.

$1,695

SPECIES

Gyroptychius agassizi

AGE

Middle Devonian - Eifelian Stage (~390 Million Years)