Description

Pycnophlebia robusta (Grasshopper)
Jurassic
Solnhofen “plattenkalk” Malm Zeta 2.
Eichstatt, Germany.

This specimen is 17.7 cm (7”) in length (including the antenna) on a 38.1 x 27.9 x 3.5 cm (15 x 11 x 1 3/8”) plate. And this is a heavy plate, weighing in at 16 ½ pounds. Presented is one of the giants of the ancient Jurassic insect world.
The fossil is well preserved with excellent color and presence. The wings, legs and antenna are well defined. The plate itself is massive, thick, and has no repaired cracks. Need I mention how difficult it is to find a Solnhofen insect of this size intact and fully preserved.
This spectacular fossil comes from the lithographic limestone Solnhofen deposits of Germany. These 150 million year old deposits are famous for their exceptionally well-preserved organisms, the most famous of which are the handful of specimens of the ancient bird Archaeopteryx.