Pipefish Syngnathus heckle

Age: Middle Eocene (45m.Years old)

Fossil site: Bolca, Italy

Description: There are around 200 known species of pipefish in the world today and they belong to the family Syngnathidae. In this family you will also find sea horses and leafy sea dragons. The Italian fossil site at Bolca produces remarkably well preserved fossils and this pipefish is a good example. This is a large specimen and is much less common than the smaller varieties that come in from Lebanon. They were not particularly good swimmers, their only means of locomotion being their dorsal fin and they are thought in the main part to have floated in the currents.

This is an unusually large example of the species, and not to be missed

Fossil: 20cm x 46.5cm
Frame: 38cm x 64cm
Weight: 6.9kg