4.9" Fossil Fish (Wendyichthys?) Plate with Pos/Neg - Montana

This is a beautiful fossil fish specimen, likely of the species Wendyichthys dicksoni, a member of the actinopterygian (Rhadinichthyiformes) from the Bear Gulch limestone of Montana. The reason for species uncertainty is due to the lack of preservation of the jaw. The fins however do match the species. The specimen has both its positive and negative sides of the rock for display. The rock broke in multiple locations through the fish, so there is some minor restoration in these locations.

Rhadinichthyids are characterized by the key-hole shaped notch in the snout that is framed by the rostro-postrostral and antorbital bones. The function of this notch is uncertain. This fossil has amazing color and preservation, with clearly defined thick, rhomboidal (Ganoid) scales called Palaeoniscoid type. This 220 million year old specimen is about as perfect a representative of this subclass. Paleozoic Actinopterygii were generally very small fish and are known predominantly from poorly preserved remains.

While Actinopterygians represented just 33% of fish species in the Bear Gulch beds, but today's ray-finned fish constitute 97% of all living fish species.
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DETAILS
SPECIES
Wendyichthys dicksoni?
LOCATION
Fergus County, Montana
FORMATION
Bear Gulch Member - Heath Formation
SIZE
4.9” in length on a 9.4"x5.9" matrix
CATEGORY
ITEM
#97802
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