Description

Fundulus cf. F. zebrinus
Pliocene
Rita Blanca Formation
Oldham County TX USA.
24mm killifish on 99mm slab.  Very clear eye.

Fish.

Fundulus is a genus of bony fish that dates back to the Early-Middle Miocene of Nevada.  The various species of this genus are commonly called “killifish” or “topminnows.”  This specimen compares favorably to the modern Plains killifish, a river fish with tolerance for saltwater.

Longtime fossil collectors remember when specimens from the Pliocene of Nevada (Truckee Formation) were available. Now, newbies have a chance to pick up an example – an oddball for the fish collector who has many of the Green River species and is looking for something different but not too expensive.