Superb 9" Phareodus Fish - Scarce Species

Here is a beautifully preserved example of one of the more scarce fish from the Green River Formation, Phareodus testis. It comes from the famed "18 inch layer" where the fish are much darker and typically better preserved. This superb specimen is 9 inches long on a 19x12" slab of matrix. Upon request we can cut the matrix down to custom sizes of install hardware for mounting it on a wall.

If you look closely you can see how Phareodus has a mouthful of sharp pointy teeth making is a voracious lake predator. In fact the name Phareodus actually means "to have tooth" Spines from other fish such as Mioplosus and Priscacara have frequently been found preserved in it's stomach.

Preparing a fossil like this takes many hours of skilled work as fish from the 18 inch layer are found "ghosted" under the surface of the rock, typically with just the raised bumps of the spines showing. Like basically all fish from the 18 inch layer there is some minor restoration as small bits tend to flake up during preparation, but it has NOT been painted like some fish from these quarries.

Truly a superb specimen, that would make a very impressive display on a shelf or wall.