Ancient Swordfish Fossil To Be Auctioned
DALLAS (AP) - The skeletal rendition of an 85 million year old swordfish is set to be sold later this month by a Dallas-based auction house.
The Cretaceous era fossil, known as Protosphyraena nitida, measures about eight feet from sword to tail fin and contains 59 teeth.
The fossil is notable in that it had teeth where modern swordfish do not.
Craig Kissick, associate director of nature and science at Heritage Auctions, says the skeleton is 75 percent original bone, with the remaining 25 percent a restoration of areas that were not preserved.
The fossil was found entombed in rock in Kansas' Smoky Hill Chalk of the Niobrara Formation in the late 1880s.
The skeletal rendering is set to be auctioned off on Sept. 28. Click here to see the listing.
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