Description
- German Fish for Sale
- Messel Fish – Cyclurus kehreri
- Eocene Age (47 million Years)
- Messel Pit
- Messel, Germany
- This is a RARE FOSSIL! The fish measures 11.35″ long. Overall size of the matrix is 17.80″ wide
Messel Pit Fossil Site is considered to be the single best site which contributes to the understanding of the Eocene, when mammals became firmly established in all principal land ecosystems. The state of preservation of its fossils is exceptional and allows for high-quality scientific work. The Messel fauna and flora comprise an entire ecosystem and food chain, are thus of significant scientific importance (leading to the current designation of the Messel Oil Shales as a UNESCO World Heritage site in December 1995).
In these paleontological excavations, oil-shale blocks are separated at their natural fissures and removed by means of wedges, hammers, and shovels. Plastic plates protect this water-containing stone material from drying out in the sun.
Since the water-containing oil-shale would fall apart if allowed to dry out in the air, fossil specimens need to be embedded in a different substrate, and thus transferred. A specimen – the perch Palaeoperca proxima shown here, for example – is first prepared on one side, which is then covered with artificial resin. After this artificial substrate hardens, the other side of the specimen is prepared. This preparation technique is known as the artificial resin transfer method.
What is so quickly explained in theory requires in practice days or even weeks, depending on the size and state of preservation of the fossil. In this photograph, the preparator is using fine metal needles to prepare a small mammal. She is monitoring each of her movements through a stereomicroscope so that even the most delicate bone structures can be prepared without being damaged. One side of the fossil has already been prepared and the oil-shale replaced by a synthetic resin substrate.
