Sphyraena bolcencis Barracuda Fossil from Famous Monte Bolca

Description: This 45 million year old, Eocene-Era fossil fish comes from one of the world's famous Laggerstatten, the Monte Bolca deposits near Verona, Italy. The significant extent of soft-tissue preservation that makes the site famous is evident in this specimen. Note particularly the soft tissue preservation including the scales of this spindle-shaped pursuit predator. It is presumed its habits mimicked those of the modern-day Barracuda, a member of the same genus. The Monte Bolca deposits have been mined for centuries, with little change in the procedures used. Tunnels are bored into the rock, and the specimens that are removed are almost invariably collected piecemeal, then reassembled. No effort has been made to disguise the repairs here; there is NO restoration.