Natural History - Mammoth Fossil Tusk Section

A trio of Perisphinctes sp. fossil ammonites, each held in a white card collector's tray and accompanied by a Gregory, Bottley and Lloyd information label. 613 grams total, 82-89 mm



Mineral Imports, London, UK. Gregory, Bottley & Lloyd (Gregory's).

A fossil coelacanth Whiteia woodwardia fish showing good details, including fins, tail and bony skull structure; supplied in a glazed display case. 118 grams, 15.8 cm (280 grams total, 16 x 13.5 cm including case)

Fine condition, professionally repaired and conserved.

From the Karoo formation of Madagascar. Private Shropshire, UK, collection.

The primitive-looking coelacanth was thought to have gone extinct with the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. Its discovery in 1938, by a South African museum curator on a local fishing trawler, fascinated the world and ignited a debate about how this bizarre lobe-finned fish fits into the evolution of land animals. It is often referred to as a ‘living fossil’, referencing its anomalous form in the fossil record.

A pair of Knightia alta fossil fish in a matrix. 336 grams, 12.6 x 11 cm



From Wyoming, Green River Formation, U.S.A. Acquired during the 1980s. From the Pradi Collection, Boston, U.S.A.

Seasonally, some 56 million years ago, in the Green River Region of Wyoming, torrential rains fell on the mountains. The rain flowed down the mountain sides, forming wide shallow lakes in the valley below. During the dry season, these lakes evaporated (similar to certain parts of Africa today). Millions of fish died in this short period of time. This climatic cycle happened over a 20-thousand-year period. Layer upon layer of mud was deposited over these years, entombing huge numbers of fish. At a much later date volcanic activity uplifted this area to expose their fossils.