Fossil Fish

NAME: Knightia, Dyplomystus
and various other species
AGE: Eocene Epoch50 million years
UNIT: Green River Formation
SITE: Kemmerer, Wyoming

The fossils of the Green River Formation are famous the world-over for their fine detail and variety of species. For 30 years we have been digging and preparing these fine specimens. We know landowners that have outcrops of the fossil-bearing strata on their land and we’ll periodically head to Wyoming to collect these fabulous fossils. Our specimens are completely natural – they have not been painted or enhanced in any way. We simply split the shale and find the fossils. Sometimes the fish split right down the middle and you get both sides!

How The Fossils Formed – During the Eocene this area was a large freshwater lake system surrounded by active volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions periodically blanketed the lakes with ash that settled rapidly onto the lake floor. The ash layers helped bury dead animals and plants quickly, reducing decay and protecting tissues in the very fine sediments. The ash also released minerals such as silica into the sediments, which aided fossilization by replacing and strengthening delicate structures. The ash beds can be radiometrically dated, helping us determine the precise age of the fossils.

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