This specimen is about 8" Wide x 7 1/4” Tall x 1 3/4” Thick.  The top fish is a Diplomystus, the bottom fish a Knightia.  Another layer of fossils is visible above and to the left of the Diplomystus, and you can see a seashell in the center.

Diplomystus is the second most common fish fossil found, with a long anal fin and fatter body. They are found ranging in size from 2 inches up to 26 inches, but are usually found between 5 and 15 inches. The body shape indicates that it was most likely a surface feeder. Several specimens have been found with the fossilized remains of Knightias in their mouth or stomach.

Knightia, the most common fish fossil found, is slender, like the herring of today. They are found ranging in size from less than an inch up to 10 inches, but usually found between 2 to 6 inches. They were considered a schooling fish and fed on plankton, algae, and insects. 

The knightia is the state fossil of Wyoming.

This fossil fish comes from the world famous Green River formation in southwest Wyoming.  About 50 million years ago, there where three subtropical lakes interconnected in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.  One of the larger areas called Fossil lake, was home to palm trees, ferns, sycamores, turtles, crocodiles and an abundance of fish.  During the Eocene Epoch, changes in climate and volcanic activity shrunk the lake down.  These dramatic changes caused animal and plant life to be buried under mineral rich layers of sediment, preserving specimens in their entirety.  Scientists believe the lake was so deep it lacked oxygen at the bottom, which prevented them from decomposing.  

The name “Green River Formation”, comes from the first discovery of this fossil lake in the 1850’s which occurred near the town of Green River.

This fine specimen is approximately 7 1/4" Wide x 6” Tall x 1/4” Thick.  The Mioplosus is the bigger fish and you can see two Knightia fish on and around it on this fossil.

Mioplosus, is a fairly rare fish fossil to find, with a double dorsal fin and pointed teeth, it was an insatiable predator, and a member of the perch family. They are found ranging in size from 2 to 20 inches, however anything over 16 inches is very rare. It was considered to have been a solitary predator--often attacking fish up to half of its own size, and are sometimes found with a Knightia or other small fish in its mouth or stomach.

Knightia, the most common fish fossil found, is slender, like the herring of today. They are found ranging in size from less than an inch up to 10 inches, but usually found between 2 to 6 inches. They were considered a schooling fish and fed on plankton, algae, and insects.

The knightia is the state fossil of Wyoming.

This fossil fish comes from the world famous Green River formation in southwest Wyoming.  About 50 million years ago, there where three subtropical lakes interconnected in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.  One of the larger areas called Fossil lake, was home to palm trees, ferns, sycamores, turtles, crocodiles and an abundance of fish.  During the Eocene Epoch, changes in climate and volcanic activity shrunk the lake down.  These dramatic changes caused animal and plant life to be buried under mineral rich layers of sediment, preserving specimens in their entirety.  Scientists believe the lake was so deep it lacked oxygen at the bottom, which prevented them from decomposing.  

The name “Green River Formation”, comes from the first discovery of this fossil lake in the 1850’s which occurred near the town of Green River.

This Ammonite & Orthoceras Plate is about 9 1/2” Wide x 15” Tall x 2 1/2” Thick. This specimen is well balanced with a single orthoceras surrounded by three ammonites.

Ammonites are an extinct species of cephalopod mollusks, that evolved into the nautilus of today.  These soft-bodied invertebrates were protected by a hard, usually coiled, chambered shell and were fast-moving carnivores.  They moved through the water by squirting water through a siphon, a kind of jet-propulsion, and would catch prey with their tentacles and then give a poison bite with their beak-like jaws.   Ammonites ranged in size from less than an inch to about 9 feet in diameter. These nautiliod, sea creatures appeared during the Devonian Period, about 350 million years ago and died out during the Cretaceous Period, about 65 million years ago. Today, these fossils are given a high polish, sometimes cut in half, and used as plaques, sculptures and in jewelry.

Ammonites were named for an ancient Egyptian god, “Ammon“, who is depicted with curled ram's horns behind each ear.  

The name Orthoceras meant “straight horn” and referred to all nautiliods with straight shells. 

This Ammonite & Orthoceras Plate is about 16" Wide x 11” Tall x 2 1/2” Thick.  This specimen is nicely balanced with a single orthoceras surrounded by four ammonites.

Ammonites are an extinct species of cephalopod mollusks, that evolved into the nautilus of today.  These soft-bodied invertebrates were protected by a hard, usually coiled, chambered shell and were fast-moving carnivores.  They moved through the water by squirting water through a siphon, a kind of jet-propulsion, and would catch prey with their tentacles and then give a poison bite with their beak-like jaws.   Ammonites ranged in size from less than an inch to about 9 feet in diameter. These nautiliod, sea creatures appeared during the Devonian Period, about 350 million years ago and died out during the Cretaceous Period, about 65 million years ago. Today, these fossils are given a high polish, sometimes cut in half, and used as plaques, sculptures and in jewelry.

Ammonites were named for an ancient Egyptian god, “Ammon“, who is depicted with curled ram's horns behind each ear.  

Orthoceras are an extinct species of cephalopod mollusks, that evolved into the squid and octopus of today.  These soft-bodied invertebrates were protected by a hard, straight, conical, chambered shell and were fast-moving carnivores. They moved through the water by squirting water through a siphon, a kind of jet-propulsion, and would catch prey with their tentacles and then give a poison bite with their beak-like jaws.  Orthoceras ranged in size from less than an inch to about 9 feet long.  These nautiliod, sea creatures swam in shallow seas during the mid-Ordovician to the Devonian Periods, about 470 to 360 million years ago.  Today, these fossils are quarried out of limestone and given a high polish and used as bookends, plaques, sculptures and in jewelry.

The name Orthoceras meant “straight horn” and referred to all nautiliods with straight shells.