Large Fossil Fish From Diatomaceous Earth Quarry In Nevada

[Olenoides]

I was cleaning out my garage this past weekend and ran into a fish fossil I collected and put in a box about a decade ago. I collected it with a friend out in the diatomaceous earth quarries near Hazen Nevada. This is where the small Gasterosteus and Fundulus fish are found in great abundance. But from my understanding anything else is pretty rare.

This fish is probably about 2 feet in length when assembled from the pieces. See photos, any insights on what I have would be appreciated.

[Missourian]

Very cool. I hope the pieces are all there.

And welcome to the forum.

[Olenoides]

Thanks, I believe all the pieces are there but I haven't tried putting it together to verify yet.

[RichW9090]

The skull alone ought to be completely identifiable. What is the age of the sediments?

[Auspex]

The skull alone ought to be completely identifiable. What is the age of the sediments?

Pliocene, I believe. Two very small species are well known from that strata, but I can find nothing referencing something like this!

[FossilDAWG]

I have a vague recollection that an upturned hypleural (the end of the vertebral column where it goes into the tail) is indicative of a salmonid. I'll have to double check that, though. From the teeth, and the size, it was obviously a significant predator, and that also fits with salmonids (and lots of other fish as well obviously).

You might email the photos to Dr. Mark Wilson at the University of Alberta, he would be able to tell you for sure what you've got, and if it is something new to science.

Don

[RichW9090]

Salmonid was my first guess as well -

[siteseer]

Rich,

I don't think the formation has been named. It's a diatomite said to be 6-9 million years old. I think Mackay School of Mines students used to go there on field trips. Someone found part of a snake there some time ago and I think a frog as well. I've seen only the stickleback. Sometimes, you can find two on one matrix piece.

Jess

The skull alone ought to be completely identifiable. What is the age of the sediments?

[Olenoides]

Thanks, yeah the people I'd talked to who had collected there had not heard of anything like it being found at the site. I'll try emailing Mark Wilson as suggested to see if I can get an ID.

[Acryzona]

Nice find. Keep us posted!