Diplomystus dentatus Fish Plaque Replica

Description

Diplomystus dentatus fish plaque replica measures 16.1 inches long, museum-quality polyurethane resin cast. Made in USA. Eocene Green River Ulrich Quarry.

The diplomystus dentatus was an ancient freshwater fish related to modern herrings and sardines. This surface-feeding predator lived inside a large lake system across the Green River Formation in Wyoming during the Eocene era. Fossils show sizes from tiny babies up to twenty-five inches long.

The sharply upturned mouth allowed this hunter to catch smaller fish right at the water surface. The diplomystus regularly ate a smaller extinct herring called knightia. In fact, scientists occasionally find small knightia fossils stuck directly inside the throats of large diplomystus fossils. The fine mud at the bottom of the ancient lake eventually turned into soft shale rock, preserving these fish bones.

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Actinopterygii
• Order: Clupeiformes
• Family: Ellimmichthyidae
• Genus: Diplomystus Cope, 1877
• Species: †D. dentatus
• Binomial name: † Diplomystus dentatus
• Conservation status: Extinct

The diplomystus dentatus fish replica provides a clear view of ancient Eocene surface predators. The sharply upturned mouth of this species contrasts directly with the wide, crushing jaw of the dunkleosteus terrelli fish jaw replica.

Try comparing this predatory diplomystus against the small, heavy scales of a knightia humilis fish replica. This thin-scaled cast also looks entirely unique placed next to the think, diamond-shaped scales of a dapedium punctatus fossil replica.