{"id":7963,"date":"2026-02-12T09:14:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T08:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/?post_type=product&p=7963"},"modified":"2026-02-26T15:57:37","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T14:57:37","slug":"holophagus-s0005","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/shop\/solnhofen\/holophagus-s0005\/","title":{"rendered":"Solnhofen Holophagus penicillatus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Solnhofen <\/strong>Holophagus penicillatus<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

41×25 cm (matrix), 23 kg
\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

Holophagus penicillatus – The coelacanth of the Jurassic period<\/span><\/h2>\n

Holophagus penicillatus<\/em> occupies a special position within the fossil fish fauna of Solnhofen. As a representative of the Actinistia (coelacanths), it belongs to an evolutionary lineage that was once considered extinct until a “living fossil”, Latimeria, was discovered in 1938. Holophagus<\/em> is a rare and scientifically highly significant find in the Upper Jurassic limestones of Bavaria. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Scientific classification and morphology<\/span><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • \n
      \n
    • Sarcopterygii heritage:<\/strong> As a carnivorous finfish, Holophagus<\/em> is more closely related to terrestrial vertebrates than to most other fishes of the Solnhofen strata.<\/span><\/li>\n
    • Specific body structure:<\/strong> The body is stocky and strong. A striking feature is the complex skull with the intracranial joint typical of coelacanths, which enabled increased mobility of the upper jaw. <\/span><\/li>\n
    • The tripartite caudal fin:<\/strong> The most striking feature is the diphyseal caudal fin, in the middle of which a small additional terminal lobe protrudes – a key diagnostic element of this group.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      The fine details – what collectors look out for:<\/span><\/h3>\n
        \n
      • The fleshy lobes:<\/strong> In excellently preserved specimens, the fleshy stalks of the pectoral and pelvic fins are clearly recognizable. These leg structure-related fin attachments are the most striking feature of a coelacanth preparation. <\/span><\/li>\n
      • Ossified swim bladder<\/strong>: A remarkable detail is the often fossilized, ossified swim bladder. This is usually visible in the abdominal cavity as an oval, structured surface and is an important indication of the authenticity of the fossil. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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

        Holophagus<\/em> is the ideal centerpiece for collectors who want to map the great evolutionary lines of vertebrate history. It represents one of the rarest and most mysterious fish groups of the Jurassic Sea. A specimen of this genus is much more than a fossil; it is a biological monument that bridges the gap between the inhabitants of the deep and the ancestors of land vertebrates. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Coelacanth Holophagus 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":7964,"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":[298,165,297,167,73],"class_list":{"0":"post-7963","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-coelacanth","10":"product_tag-germany","11":"product_tag-holophagus","12":"product_tag-law","13":"product_tag-solnhofen","14":"product_shipping_class-m-5kg","15":"desktop-align-left","16":"tablet-align-left","17":"mobile-align-left","19":"first","20":"outofstock","21":"sold-individually","22":"shipping-taxable","23":"product-type-simple"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/7963","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=7963"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7964"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7963"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=7963"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=7963"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fossiland.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=7963"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}