14.25" Mioplosus labracoides | Unrestored Fossil Fish | Wyoming

Mioplosus labracoides, unrestored specimen   Eocene (51.98 Million Years Ago)  Green River Formation, Wyoming, USA  In Stone Fossils Private Quarry   Fish approx. size: 14.25" Plate approx. size: 22" x 16.25" The plate itself is backed with 3/4" plywood for durability and easy wall hanging, a french cleat hanging system is included as well. Order Perciformes Family Latidae - M. labracoides M. labracoides specimens: are characterized by 2 dorsal fins and a forked tail had a long, torpedo-shaped body with streamlined proportions for fast swimming known to reach 20 inches juveniles commonly found in mass mortalities and adults found alone, indicating M. labracoides traveled in schools as a juvenile and became solitary as an adult juvenile and adult specimens often found preserved with smaller fish in the jaw or stomach   Mioplosus labracoides was likely an apex or mesopredator in the Fossil Lake ecosystem, preying on smaller fish species such as Knightia and Diplomystus. Unlike more gregarious species, fossil occurrences of Mioplosus are typically isolated rather than in mass mortality layers, suggesting a more solitary lifestyle.