Mesolimulus
walchi
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Coming
from the famous 150 million year old Jurassic Solnhofen Lithographic
Limestone deposits near Eichstatt, Germany, this is a fine example
of the Horseshoe Crab Mesolimulus walchi. It shared its final resting
place with many other exquisitely-preserved organisms, the most
famous of which is the early bird Archaeopteryx. Xiphosura (horseshoe
crabs) are related to the extinct Eurypterids, and more distantly
to spiders and scorpions. They trace their ancestry back to the
Cambrian, and proceed into the modern day as the genus Limulus,
which looks much like the splendid fossil offered here. Fossil examples
such as this one are highly-prized by collectors, and rarely seen
for sale. This one is in a fine state of preservation, even showing
the telson (tail) projecting to the rear; this is often not found
in such a good state of preservation. It is 5.0 inches long and
2.7 inches across, well-positioned within its 12.5 inch by 11.8
inch matrix.
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Fossil
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