Apateopholis Cretaceous Predatory Fish Fossil

a rarely seen species from the Lebanese Laggerstatte

Apateopholis laniatus

Aulopiformes, Ichthyotrigidae

Geological Time: Middle Cretaceous, Middle Cenomanian Stage (~93 million years ago)

Size (25.4 mm = 1 inch): 41 mm in length (tip of rostrum to tip of tail along backbone) on a 57 mm by 90 mm matrix

Fossil Site: Lebanese Laggerstatte, en-Nammoura, Lebanon

Code: L536

Price: $275.00


Apateopholis Cretaceous  Fish FossilDescription: The elongated head with a slender outline, long jaws set with small teeth betray this unusual fish as a predator. Some scientists think they may have used these elongated jaws in a side-slashing movement to capture their prey. The slender shape and broad caudal fin would seem to indicate that they could be highly efficient pursuit predators. This is a recently-described taxon, having been published in 1986, and one that is rarely offered for sale. They have no recent relatives, and died out in the Late Cretaceous. This is a most unusual juvenile example, and is the smallest I have seen. It comes from a quarry in en-Nammoura from strata some 2 million years younger than those at Haqel and Hajoula sites.

Fossil Fish Purchase Information

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Fish Fossils
 
 

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