Hulettia americana Fossil Jurassic Fish from New Mexico

Description: Presented is a well-preserved specimen of the prehistoric bony fish Hulettia americana. The body is covered in prominent, robust scales. This fish is in a death pose, side-right, head pulled and angled back, showing the head’s ventral (underside). I believe the matrix spot covering some scales on the upper body, below the head, could be removed with the appropriate prep tools.

The formation is a laminated sequence of limestone and gypsum that was probably a lakebed with anoxic conditions that allowed the quality of preservation you see here. Fossils are not abundant in the Todilto Formation and no fossil plants are known. My understanding is that the collecting site for these fish has been closed for many years. According to my research, the only two fish species present in this environment were the predator Hulettia and the prey fish Todiltia. I have only two of each available as of this posting.

This fossil comes from the George Lee Collection of Southern California. Mr. Lee accumulated a virtual where house of fossils over thirty-five years of self-collecting and purchasing. Most of the fossils were acquired during the 1960s through the mid 1990s. Unfortunately, for we collectors, many of these sites and areas are no longer available for collecting. Therefore, many of my offerings are of special importance, as they are now rarely available to the public. Since Mr. Lee’s death, a few years ago, the collection has slowly been liquidated. This fossil came from one of the last available batches sold.