This breathtaking Ichthyosaur fossil (a marine reptile) is a magnificent find from the Holzmaden Shale near Stuttgart, Germany, a fossil locale renowned for its incredibly preserved specimens. This rare type of ichthyosaur (_Stenopterygius hauffianus_) is recognized by its distinctive short beak. Few complete examples of this species have surfaced on the market and this is undoubtedly one of the best on record.

It is an extremely unique and captivating piece due to its completeness, well-articulated skeleton, massive size (8.7 feet), overall aesthetic beauty and rarity - likely fewer than 10 specimens have been found to date. Remarkably, its last meals (squid and other cephalopods) are preserved in its stomach cavity (the dark area beneath its ribs). With all of these fantastic characteristics present, **it truly belongs to the upper echelon of fine fossils and would be the focal point of any home or public setting.**

Considerable time and skill was needed to reveal this specimen from the matrix - 5 months of meticulous, specialized labour in a state of the art German laboratory. It is also equipped with a heavy-duty steel frame and hanging moulds.

* Formation: Posidonia Shale
* Location: Holzmaden, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany
* Age: Lower Jurassic, Toarcian, Lias epsilon 2 (approximately 182 million years old).
* Specimen measures 8.7 feet / 265 cm long. Matrix measures 10.8 feet / 330 cm x 5.25 feet / 160 cm. Weighs approximately 660 lbs. / 300 kg.
* Certificate of authenticity included
* Only minor restoration on tip of tail (approximately 5 cm)

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