Lot 122
Large Knightia Fish Fossils 'Mass Mortality' Stone Slab
Large Knightia Fish Fossils 'Mass Mortality' Stone Slab
Starting Bid: $1,300
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North America, United States, Wyoming, Green River Formation, Eocene Epoch, ca. 53.5 to 48.5 million years ago. A large limestone slab preserving a dense concentration of Knightia fish fossils, representing what is known as either a life assemblage or a mass mortality event. Such groupings occur when a school of fish died suddenly - often from events such as oxygen depletion or rapid environmental change - and were quickly buried in fine sediment. Because the fish are preserved in close association, the slab captures a moment of natural behavior, demonstrating that Knightia traveled in large schools for protection from predators. Size: 29" L x 1" W x 20.5" H (73.7 cm x 2.5 cm x 52.1 cm); 20" H (50.8 cm) on included custom stand.
The sediment from the Green River Formation was deposited over a 5-million-year span, the layers of flora and fauna may not have fossilized at the same time - but make for interesting composites. The Eocene world was the warmest of the Cenozoic (our current era), with an average mean temperature around 86 F (30 C) (for comparison, the average mean temperature in the last seventy years is around 58 F (14 C). Although the map of the Earth's surface would have been very recognizable to us today, with most of the continents in place and India moving close to its current position, there were basically no ice caps and huge swaths of the landscape were covered with water, including vast inland seas. This impressive aquarium like arrangement creates a rare scene from a prehistoric environment that was drastically different than what the semi-arid Wyoming landscape of today!
Provenance: private Berthoud, Colorado, USA collection
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Item #
201490
- Condition: Good. Matrix is intact with natural irregular edges and minor surface wear consistent with quarry extraction and preparation. Numerous Knightia fossils are clearly visible with strong skeletal detail and contrast against the fine-grained limestone matrix. Small chips and minor surface irregularities are present but do not detract from the display quality. Comes with metal display stand.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |