From the album: BONES
This is an Eocene dogfish (in the South, these are called "mudfish"), Cyclurus (Amia) kehreri, from the Messel Shale, around Messel, Germany. The "bituminous claystone" (think "oil-shale") around Messel constitutes a lagerstatte (plural: lagerstatten) of Eocene fossils, both land mammals and freshwater fish.
Other fish associated with Amia in these lacustrine deposits include Lepisosteus, Amphiperca, Palaeoperca, and Thaumaturus. Along with these freshwater fish, plants, insects, crustaceans, mollusks, sponges, reptiles, mammals, birds, and amphibians are collected here.
Fish from Me
© Harry Pristis 2008