Skip to content
4.5" Knightia eocaena with undescribed branch | 100% Natural | Green River Formation | Wyoming

4.5" Knightia eocaena with undescribed branch | 100% Natural | Green River Formation | Wyoming

by In Stone Fossils
$2,800.00 - $2,800.00
$2,800.00
$2,800.00 - $2,800.00
$2,800.00

Knightia fossil found from our private quarry with beautiful reddish-gold toned iron mineral replacement of which our quarry is prized for. This beautiful specimen is 100% natural, no restoration with great preservation. This specimen is backed with cabinet grade wood for hanging and includes a french cleat.

Plate approx. size: 35.5" x 26"

Fish approx. size: 4.5"

**Due to the size of this specimen, it will be shipped in an internationally compliant wooden crate. The plate itself is backed with 3/4" plywood for durability and easy wall hanging, a french cleat hanging system is included as well.

Shipping costs will be calculated and billed after purchase. Please contact us if you need a specific shipping rate prior to purchase. You may opt in for in-store pickup to cut your shipping costs all together and pick up your specimen in person. You can pick up from our store location in Kemmerer, Wyoming, or we deliver to both the Denver Gem & Mineral show in the Fall and the Tucson Gem & Mineral show in the winter. For any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us directly.

 

Knightia is an extinct genus of clupeid bony fish that lived in the freshwater lakes and rivers of North America and Asia during the Eocene epoch. The genus was erected by David Starr Jordan in 1907, in honor of the late University of Wyoming professor Wilbur Clinton Knight, "an indefatigable student of the paleontology of the Rocky Mountains." It is the official state fossil of Wyoming, and the most commonly excavated fossil fish in the world.

Knightia belongs to the same taxonomic family as herring and sardines, and resembled the former closely enough that both Knightia alta and Knightia eocaena were originally described as species of true herring in the genus Clupea.

As with modern-day clupeids, Knightia sp. likely fed on algae and diatoms, as well as insects and occasionally smaller fish.

Anatomy

In Knightia fish, rows of dorsal and ventral scutes run from the back of the head to the medial fins. They had heavy scales and small conical teeth. Their size varied by species: Knightia eocaena was the longest, growing up to 25 cm (10 in), though most specimens are no larger than 15 cm. K. alta was shorter and relatively wider, with specimens averaging between 6 and 10 cm.

Predators

A small schooling fish, Knightia made an abundant food source for larger Eocene predators. The Green River Formation has yielded many fossils of larger fish species preying on Knightia; specimens of Diplomystus, Lepisosteus, Amphiplaga, Mioplosus, Phareodus, Amia, and Astephus have all been found with Knightia in either their jaws or stomachs.

Book Now