Description
Cyclobatis egertoni — Matched Pair Fossil Stingray | Upper Cretaceous | Haqil, Lebanon
Approximately 100 million years ago, a warm, shallow sea covered what is now northern Lebanon. In those Cretaceous waters lived Cyclobatis egertoni — an ancient skate-like ray distinguished by its nearly circular pectoral disc and radially arranged fin rays, so perfectly symmetrical that it earned the name "Sun Fish" among collectors and researchers alike.
This exceptional specimen was preserved within a limestone concretion and has been carefully split to reveal both the positive and negative halves — a matched pair that together present the complete, three-dimensional story of the animal. Both halves are included in this listing, allowing for display as a dramatic open-book presentation or as two complementary display pieces side by side. The specimen retains fine skeletal detail across the pectoral disc, with the characteristic circular body plan clearly legible in the matrix.
Specimen Details:
- Species: Cyclobatis egertoni Egerton, 1844
- Classification: Chondrichthyes — Batoidea (fossil skate / stingray)
- Age: Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian Stage — approximately 100 million years ago
- Formation: Sannine Limestone
- Locality: Haqil, Byblos District, Lebanon
- Preservation Type: Positive concretion — matched pair (both halves)
- Matrix Size: 7" tall × 5.75" wide (both halves)
- Display Case: Included at no additional charge
Cyclobatis is among the most celebrated genera from Lebanon's world-renowned fossil Lagerstätte — a deposit so extraordinary in its preservation that it has been studied by paleontologists for centuries. Specimens at this quality tier, presented as a matched concretion pair, are seldom available on the open market.
This piece arrives ready to display and is appropriate for serious private collectors, natural history institutions, and anyone seeking a centerpiece-grade Cretaceous marine specimen.
