Rare Bear Gulch Fossil Mantis Shrimp Precursor

Description: The Bear Gulch Limestone is a deposit of some 70 square km in extent and 30 m in depth that has been a source of one of the most diverse assemblages of fossil fish with some 110 species having been described over the past 30 years. Most were new to science, and provided a unique view of the marine environment of Mississippian times. Fine preservation of both fish and invertebrates is a hallmark of these deposits, presumably due to an anoxic depositional environment. This specimen is a proto mantis known as Perimecturus rapax. The genus is also known from the older Visean deposits of Scotland (~340 million years ago). The modern Mantis Shrimps are rapacious carnivores (the source of the species name) that employ a slash and grab lifestyle. Presumably this taxon shared that same modus operandi. This is a part/counterpart example of a relatively rare taxon that composes~5% of arthropods from Bear Gulch.