Description
Miocene
Monterey Formation
Orange County, CA, USA
41mm fish on 100mm diatomite slab.
A variety of fishes are known from the Middle to Late Miocene Monterey Formation but finding an accessible reference can be a challenge. This form has been called a viperfish, a deep water form, though its body is not as elongated as the modern genus. It is one of the more uncommon fish in the Monterey and this one is especially well-preserved.
A reference to hunt down:
David, L. R. 1943.
Miocene Fishes of Southern California. Geological Society of America Special Papers. Volume 43. 193 pages. 16 plates/