Armigatus Fossil Fish Cenomanian Upper Cretaceous Hjoula Quarry Lebanon

Description

Armigatus Fossil Fish – Cenomanian, Upper Cretaceous, Hjoula Quarry, Lebanon

This exceptional Armigatus Fossil Fish is a genuine and beautifully preserved specimen from the Upper Cretaceous Fish Beds of the Hjoula Quarry, situated in the Keserwan–Jbeil Governorate of Lebanon. Dating to the Cenomanian Stage, approximately 98–95 million years ago, this fossil captures a rare glimpse into the marine ecosystems of the ancient Tethys Ocean. Fossils from this locality are among the most detailed and scientifically valuable in the world, renowned for their fine-grained limestone preservation that reveals even delicate skeletal features.

Each specimen is 100% natural and unaltered, exactly as discovered in its limestone matrix. The photo shows the actual fossil you will receive, accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity, confirming its provenance, species, and geological age.

Geological and Stratigraphic Context

This fossil originates from the world-famous Hjoula Quarry, one of Lebanon’s most significant fossiliferous deposits and part of the region’s Cenomanian “Fish Beds.” These deposits belong to the Upper Cretaceous period, formed around 98 to 95 million years ago when the Tethys Sea covered much of the Middle East. The environment was a warm, shallow marine basin, rich in life and characterised by calm, anoxic (oxygen-poor) seafloor conditions.

The fine lithographic limestone of Hjoula, deposited in these stagnant marine environments, is composed primarily of microcrystalline calcium carbonate. The lack of disturbance and minimal oxygen allowed even fragile marine organisms such as fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods to be preserved in extraordinary detail. These exceptional preservation conditions are what make Hjoula fossils comparable to other globally renowned Lagerstätten, such as Solnhofen in Germany.

This Armigatus fossil therefore represents not just an ancient species, but also the unique geological processes that created some of the most stunning fossils ever discovered.

Taxonomy and Scientific Classification

• Fossil Type: Fish (Actinopterygii – Ray-finned Fish)
• Scientific Name: Armigatus brevissimus (commonly referred to as Armigatus)
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Actinopterygii
• Order: Clupeiformes
• Family: Armigatidae
• Geological Stage: Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous)
• Formation: Hjoula Limestone Formation (“Fish Beds”)
• Locality: Hjoula Quarry, Hjoula, Keserwan–Jbeil Governorate, Lebanon

The genus Armigatus belongs to an extinct lineage of small ray-finned fishes related to herrings and anchovies. These early members of the Clupeiformes order are recognised for their evolutionary significance, bridging ancient fish lineages with modern pelagic forms. Fossils of Armigatus have been discovered exclusively in Cretaceous marine deposits across Lebanon, offering valuable insights into early teleost evolution.

Morphological Features and Identification

The Armigatus fossil fish is typically small to medium in size, with a slender, laterally compressed body that allowed for agile swimming in open marine environments. Its most distinctive morphological feature is the presence of bony scutes (armoured scales) running along its ventral midline — the trait from which its name, meaning “armed,” is derived.

Key diagnostic characteristics visible in this fossil include:

• Elongated, fusiform body shape, indicative of a fast-swimming pelagic predator or filter feeder.
• A well-preserved skull, often showing the orbital cavity and delicate cranial bones.
• Fanned caudal fin and clearly articulated vertebral column.
• Fine details of the pectoral and pelvic fins, sometimes visible due to the fine-grained limestone matrix.
• Presence of ganoid or cycloid scales and occasional impressions of soft tissue outlines.

These exceptional preservation conditions allow the observer to see the structural and evolutionary features that define the genus Armigatus, making it an important fossil for paleontological study and a striking addition to any collection.

Depositional Environment and Paleoecology

The Cenomanian seas of Lebanon formed part of the expansive Tethys Ocean, a vast tropical marine realm teeming with life. Within this ecosystem, Armigatus occupied a key position in the food web, likely feeding on plankton or small invertebrates. Its streamlined body design and small mouth indicate a life spent in open water, swimming in schools much like modern sardines or anchovies.

The fine-grained sediments of the Hjoula Basin were deposited in a restricted marine lagoonal setting, where minimal water movement and limited oxygen resulted in the rapid burial of deceased organisms. This slow accumulation of carbonate muds ensured exceptional fossil preservation, capturing the finest details of anatomy that are rarely preserved elsewhere.

Over millions of years, diagenetic mineralisation transformed the organic material into stone while maintaining the delicate fossil impressions. This unique process gives fossils from the Hjoula Formation their soft beige tones and natural contrast against the limestone matrix.

Scientific and Collectible Importance

The Armigatus fossil fish is one of the most sought-after species from the Lebanese Cretaceous deposits. Its scientific value lies in its contribution to our understanding of the evolution of teleost fish — a lineage that dominates modern marine ecosystems. Specimens from Hjoula are used by researchers to reconstruct ancient marine biodiversity, palaeoenvironments, and evolutionary relationships within early Clupeiformes.

For collectors, this fossil offers both aesthetic beauty and educational value. Its delicate structure, exceptional preservation, and geological history make it a centrepiece for any natural history or fossil collection. Each specimen is entirely unique, displaying the subtle differences created by natural fossilisation processes over 95 million years.

This specimen is supplied with a Certificate of Authenticity, verifying it as a 100% genuine Upper Cretaceous fossil from Hjoula, Lebanon — a timeless relic of an ancient sea and a true masterpiece of natural history.