Ezio Bonsignore Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Do you see any obvious red fkag with this one? It is described as Zanthopsis dufouri, 8×7×5 cm, Eocene (47.8-56 m/y), from the French region of Aude. It llooks very nice, but what both attracts and puzzles me it that it appears ti be "sitting" onto its matrix, like a jewel on a silk cushion. What do you thing? An excellent prep work, or...? Auf Deutsch übersetzen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Bonsignore Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Bonsignore Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Bonsignore Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Bonsignore Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossisle Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Looks like it was prepped off the matrix and then reattached, makes for a nicer presentation I think. 1 Cephalopods rule!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 I agree, this looks like it has been prepped very well, perhaps carefully under the body, I see no red flags myself. Lovely crab! Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillar Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Indeed, this crab has been glued back to its matrix. I can't see well in the photos, but I also think that the claws have been added 1 http://www.paleotheque.fr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 The matrix itself is suspect. I agree that likely parts of crab fossils were glued to this to make a presentation specimen. The critter itself is likely real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Bonsignore Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 Thank you all for yoiur answers! I also find it rather weird that there is not the slightest trace of legs, and so the matrix is most probably not the original one but just a random piece of rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruger9a Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 I posted these photos a while back. They are of Zanthopsis dufouri that I entirely removed from it's matrix and mounted. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpc Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 I think the matrix is real. I have been to a Zanthopsis site in France (with one of fellow Forumites... merci) where the crabs have very similar preservation, and the rock looks like this stuff. Now whether it has been remounted or the claws added... I cannot say, but we did find lots of both isolated carapaces and claws at this site. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caterpillar Posted January 15, 2021 Share Posted January 15, 2021 Yes, I think at the same site. Crabs are often desarticulated 1 http://www.paleotheque.fr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Bonsignore Posted January 15, 2021 Author Share Posted January 15, 2021 (edited) So, this is probably a composite of an original carapace and original claws (not from the same animal) glued together on a geologically correct piece of rock, which however is not the original matrix. Thanks again everybody Edited January 15, 2021 by Ezio Bonsignore wrong spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glu Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 I know very well this kind of Zanthopsis and who prepares them. Matrix is Eocene in age, but not from a site where Zanthopsis is found. Plus claws have been opened and repositioned in a more dramatic pose. Said that, it is still a nice example Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray67 Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 hi i don´t know if this is still interesting for you, but i recently acquired this Zanthopsis from an auction and the description was similar, also from Aude/france. maybe it was the same preparator. also the aspect of my crab is very similar to the one in your pictures. and to me it looks like the crab has no feet and is maybe re-attached to the rock. but still a nice item and didn´t cost a fortune. here are some pics from mine, sorry for the background. cheers, ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocket Posted January 2, 2023 Share Posted January 2, 2023 matrix is real, we had some with this "green matrix" and know they come from this. Otherwise, you never know if both crab claws originally belong to these crab. Many of them are incomplete, claw is missing or bad, so sometimes one of another sample will be attached. Size looks perfect, so if it has been attached it is really well done and you will never see it. I would buy it, it´s nice and pretty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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