Mene rhombea
Eocene
Monte Bolca, Verona, Italy
The famous lagerstatte of Monte Boca, northeast of Verona, Italy, is known for its incredibly well preserved marine fossils. The Monte Bolca deposits were formed in a lagoon, which was separated from the open sea by coral reefs. Volcanic activity on the nearby mainland produced lava and ashes that caused mass extinctions, explaining the abundance of fossils in this area. The fine-grained limestone and amazing preservation suggests that the animals were rapidly buried in an anoxic (lacking in oxygen) environment, allowing for beautiful fossilization. Mene rhombea is closely related to the modern moonfish. A deep-bodied fish, it displays unusual pelvic fins far forward on the body, which are reduced to spines. The present specimen, displaying the aesthetic angelfish-like shape of the species, exemplifies the beautiful preservation of Monte Bolca specimens.
Matrix measures 13 ¼ x 9 ½ x 1 1/2in; Specimen measures 6 1/4in