10.2" Large Coelacanth (Macropomoides) Fossil - Lebanon

Large Coelacanth (Macropomoides) Fossil - Lebanon #206421

This is an extremely rare fossil Coelacanth (Macropomoides orientalis) from the Upper Cretaceous marine deposits near Byblos, Lebanon. This finely detailed specimen is 10.2" long, which is one of the largest we've seen. There are several repairs in the rock and exceptionally minor restoration of the fish itself. All in all a stunning specimen of a very rare "living fossil".

An acrylic and metal display stand will accompany your purchase.

The discovery of amazingly preserved marine fossils near Hjoula, Lebanon dates back many centuries. In fact, they were first mentioned in writing by Herodotus, over 450 years before the birth of Christ. The first scientific work on these localities began in the 1800s: these deposits have been meticulously quarried by several Lebanese families for over a century. We purchase our specimens directly from one of these families.

These deposits represent a warm, shallow sea of the Middle Cretaceous, and have yielded over 70 types of fish and numerous other genera found nowhere else in the world. The preservation on many of these specimens is truly amazing: many examples of soft bodied preservation have been found.

A photo of one of the quarries at Hjoula, Lebanon