Fish - 動物化石 - Libanopristis hiram - 30 cm - 24 cm

Fossil Ray — Libanopristis hiram

Late Cretaceous, Cenomanian | Hjoula, Lebanon

Offered here is a beautifully preserved fossil specimen of Libanopristis hiram, an extinct ray from the Late Cretaceous of Lebanon.

The specimen originates from the renowned fossil locality of Hjoula, one of Lebanon’s most important Lagerstätten. Hjoula is particularly famous for its remarkable diversity of fossil decapod crustaceans, but it has also yielded exceptionally well-preserved vertebrate remains, providing a fascinating insight into the marine ecosystems of the Cenomanian.

The fossils from this locality are thought to have been deposited under anoxic or oxygen-depleted conditions. Such depositional environments can greatly reduce biological decay and scavenging, which helps explain the exceptional preservation encountered at Hjoula, including the preservation of delicate anatomical details and, in some specimens, soft-tissue

Libanopristis is especially significant from a palaeontological perspective because fossils attributed to this genus provided some of the earliest evidence used to demonstrate ovoviviparity in fossil rays. This reproductive strategy, in which embryos develop within eggs retained inside the mother, offers a rare glimpse into the biology and reproductive evolution of ancient elasmobranchs.

A fossil from Hjoula is more than simply a beautifully preserved specimen: it represents a tangible piece of a marine ecosystem that existed approximately 95 million years ago. Libanopristis hiram is particularly appealing to collectors interested in fossil fish, elasmobranch evolution, and the exceptional Cretaceous fossil record of Lebanon.

An attractive and scientifically significant addition to any serious fossil collection.