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Fossil crab concretions from Thailand; death mortality plate

$ 106.12

Availability: 85 in stock
  • Modified Item: No
  • Condition: Used
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: Thailand

    Description

    Dense fossil crab concretions from Thailand; death mortality plate, with two separate whole Macrophthalmus sp. fossil crab (one of which is actually double, consisting of two crabs).
    Visible are multiple crab carapaces and myriad legs, jumbled together in death and the fossilization process.
    This auction is for the amazing concretions photographed above, which consists of well upwards of a dozen fossil crabs.  The matrix block and fossils were collected in Central Thailand on the outskirts of Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park in South-Central Thailand.  The majority of the carapaces which are visible are Macrophthalmus (Venitus) latreilli.  These fossil crabs all date from the Plio-Plestocene.
    The fossils are only accessible during the dry season and are harvested from the wall of a deep mangrove swamp canal.  Other crabs found in the same deposits are Galene bispinosa, Charybdis sp. and Podophthalamus sp. There is a possibility of any of these species being in the conglomerate photographed.
    Additionally, two whole single Macrophthalmus (Venitus) latreilli fossil crab will also accompany the winning bid.  Both the concretions and the individual crabs could be further prepped to reveal more fossils, however, in the case of the concretion, the matrix is delicate, while the single Macrophthalmus matrix is quite hard.  In both cases, I recommend being careful or having a professional prep them out further.
    Of interest, the famous naturalist Rumphius originally described these particular fossil crabs from the East Indies in his masterpiece: D'Amboinsche rariteitkamer.  He was employed by the Dutch East India Company in the mid-1600s and worked extensively cataloguing shells in Eastern Indonesia.  Macrophthalmus sp. collected and described by him at that time are illustrated in the text. Subsequently, de Cossigny collected Southeast Asian fossil crabs and sent them back to France to be included in the King's cabinet (the collection is now in France's National Museum of Natural History).
    This is a singular opportunity to own a unique fossil.  While Thai fossil crabs do rarely appear for sale, to my knowledge a similar piece of matrix with a death assemblage has not been offered previously for sale (with the exception of a similar auctions I have posted recently).
    Best of luck bidding.  Payment will be via Paypal only please.
    Shipping and handling will be a flat