{"id":7957,"date":"2026-02-12T09:02:53","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T08:02:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/?post_type=product&p=7957"},"modified":"2026-02-26T15:55:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T14:55:01","slug":"ionoscopus-s0003","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/shop\/solnhofen\/ionoscopus-s0003\/","title":{"rendered":"Solnhofen Ionoscopus sp."},"content":{"rendered":"

Solnhofen Ionoscopus sp.<\/strong><\/span>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

53.5×24 cm (matrix)
\nSolnhofener Revier, Plattenkalke, Bavaria, Germany (exact location will be communicated to buyer)<\/span><\/p>\n

Historic collector’s item with a special excavation history. Found approx. 50 years ago, contemporary preparation with restorations, in original matrix, not reburied. <\/span>
\nOffered on behalf of the customer.<\/span><\/p>\n

no longer available – sold on a commission basis on behalf of and for the account of the owner.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ionoscopus – A specialized predatory fish of the Solnhofen archipelago<\/span><\/h2>\n

The genus Ionoscopus<\/em> belongs to the order Ionoscopiformes and is a striking representative of the predatory fish fauna within the Upper Jurassic limestones. It is often mentioned in the shadow of the better-known Caturus<\/em>, but differs in significant anatomical features that make it particularly interesting for scientifically oriented collections. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Scientific classification and morphology<\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • \n
      \n
    • Anatomical distinction:<\/strong> Compared to other contemporary predators, Ionoscopus<\/em> is characterized by a strong, rather stocky build and a massive skull. Characteristic is the large, deep mouth, which suggests a wide range of prey. <\/span><\/li>\n
    • The sensory system:<\/strong> A special feature of ionoscopids is the structure of the eye region and the skull roof, which indicates a highly developed visual orientation in the light-flooded lagoons.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Taxonomic significance:<\/strong> As the eponymous genus of its family, Ionoscopus<\/em> provides important data on the evolution of the Halecomorphi (a group of bony fishes that includes the modern pike).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Characteristics of fossil preservation – analysis for the collector:<\/span><\/h3>\n
        \n
      • Skull architecture:<\/strong> In Ionoscopus<\/em>, the cap bones of the skull are often very robust. For collectors, the integrity of the operculum (gill cover) and mandible (lower jaw) is a decisive criterion for the quality of the specimen. <\/span><\/li>\n
      • Fin morphology:<\/strong> Compared to Caturus<\/em>, the dorsal fin is often shorter and sits further back on the body. The caudal fin is strong and shows the slightly asymmetrical (hemi-heterocercal) structure typical of this group, which enabled high acceleration. <\/span><\/li>\n
      • Scales:<\/strong> The scales are usually thinner than in the heavily armored semionotids, but are visible as a fine, regular structure on the matrix when well preserved.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        A highlight for every Solnhofen collection<\/span><\/h3>\n

        Ionoscopus<\/em> is the ideal specimen for collectors who want to document the complexity of food chains in the Jurassic Sea. It represents a specialized lineage of hunters in an ecosystem that was characterized by extreme biological diversity. Such a fossil is not only a rare find, but a window into the evolution of modern bony fishes in the middle of the subtropical Solnhofen Archipelago. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Predatory fish Ionoscopus from the Jurassic of the Solnhofen area (Plattenkalke). Complete specimen. Historical collector’s item, rarity of an extinct locality. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":7958,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}}},"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[72,147,148],"product_tag":[165,296,167,73],"class_list":{"0":"post-7957","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-solnhofen","7":"product_cat-fishes","8":"product_cat-fossils","9":"product_tag-germany","10":"product_tag-ionoscopus","11":"product_tag-law","12":"product_tag-solnhofen","13":"product_shipping_class-xl-20kg","14":"desktop-align-left","15":"tablet-align-left","16":"mobile-align-left","18":"first","19":"outofstock","20":"sold-individually","21":"shipping-taxable","22":"product-type-simple"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/7957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7957"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=7957"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=7957"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=7957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}