Fossil True bug (Mesobelostomum deperditum) - ROM2004_982_26

Water beetle fossil, Mesobelostomum deperditum
ROM2004_982_26

Fossil True bug (Mesobelostomum deperditum)

Place Collected
(Object)
:
Europe, Germany, Bavaria, Solnhofen
Dimensions:
Matrix (slab): 15 (W) x 19 (L) cm
Object number: ROMIP53407
Not on view
DescriptionSolnhofen Limestone: A window on the past, The Solnhofen Limestone in Bavaria, Germany, has been quarried for over 200 years, to make lithographic plates for printing. The limestone was deposited in a series of shallow salty lagoons, 150 million years ago, between reefs in an ancient sea. Many of the Solnhofen fossils have impressions of soft tissues, which are not usually preserved. Solnhofen fossils include the remains of sea creatures that washed in from adjacent waters, such as jellyfish, squids, and a large variety of crabs and shrimps. The beautifully preserved remains of insects, early birds, and flying reptiles are also found, probably blown in by strong offshore winds, as are the rare remains of terrestrial vertebrates such as small dinosaurs. This fossil of a giant water but is similar to water bugs living today.
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