Approximately 56 to 34 million years old during the Eocene epoch.

Phareodus is an extinct genus of freshwater fish that lived during the Eocene epoch, approximately 56 to 34 million years ago. It belonged to the family Osteoglossidae, which includes modern arowanas and elephantfish. Phareodus is well known from fossil deposits, particularly in the Green River Formation of North America and other Eocene-aged formations worldwide.

These fossil fish provide an interesting look into our earth’s ancient past. This particular Phareodus were discovered in the Green River formation which is an absolutely mind boggling location. It's one of the most important fossil sites for understanding the Eocene. It’s located in western Colorado, eastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. During the Eocene, this region was located at much the same latitude it is today, though global temperatures were very different. The fossils, especially plants, found at this site indicate that the climate was moist temperate or sub-tropical, with temperatures ranging from 56-74 degrees fahrenheit. In addition to the plants, another piece of evidence suggesting that the climate was sub-tropical was the presence of fossilized crocodiles. Crocodiles can only survive in areas with a constant, warm temperature. Yeah, Utah had crocodiles at one point. Wild right? 

This is a unique, one of a kind, fossil. Once this item is sold, we will not be about to acquire an exact replacement. All Paxton Gate specimens are guaranteed to be of the highest quality; sourced from ethical vendors and private collectors around the world.