Holosteus mariae

Age: M. Oligocene
Size: The fossil fish is 17 7/8”” in length on a 20 x 6 1/8” plate
Fossil Location: Menilite-Krosno Series, Caparthian basin, Carpathian Mountains, Poland
Comments: For over eight years I have been acquiring Polish fish from the Oligocene, Carpathian basin. Generally they are small, no more than a few inches in length. This magnificent Holosteus is by far the largest, and most breathtaking specimen I have had the pleasure of beholding. The fossil resides on a thin, fine-grained medium/dark tan plate of shale. The formation is highly fractured and difficult to quarry, and the image below shows the recovered fossils, before professional preparation -- very typical of the site. The preservation is fantastic and the specimen is some 97% complete. This to the best of my knowledge is the premier fossil fish specimen ever offered from this important world-renowned fossil site.
White River Preparium, one of the premier preparation labs in the USA invested over sixteen hours of work to curate this specimen. The Holesteus was broken into fifteen pieces and re-glued back together. Quite normal, as the matrix is evidently very difficult to extract in large plates from this location. The surrounding matrix was smoothed out, and the cracks skillfully covered. There is about 3-5% restoration. Specifically the tip of the snout/ethmoid (nasal) area, and a 3/8 x 5/8” oblong shaped insertion on the top-side of the body immediately in front of the dorsal fin. Finally, a bit of restoration where the head joins the body. The specimen has been strengthened with a fiberboard backing plate. Please contact me if you have any further questions. A note regarding the unprepared Holosteus photo. This was a split fishplate. The owner was only willing to allow me to buy one side. I chose the top fish as my preference of the two.
The Carpathians offer one of the world’s premier collecting sites for Oligocene fossil salt-water fossil fish. I have a scholarly pdf (in English) on the general paleontology and fossil fish of the Menilite-Krosno Series that I would be happy to email to the procurer of this Holosteus.
Price: $2700.00 - Code PFT461 - Free postage in the USA