LMX079 - ULTRA-RARE LEFT MANDIBLE WITH ORIGINAL INTACT MOLARS AND CANINES OF THE EARLY MIOCENE THREE-TOED HORSE ANCHIPPUS

Product Description

ITEM # 

LMX079

ID

Anchippus sp.

FOUND

Dixie Co. - Florida, U.S.A.

AGE

EARLY MIOCENE:  20 million years ago

SIZE

7.75" long

CONDITION

FRACTURE REPAIR BUT NO RESTORATION
OR FABRICATION.  ALL TEETH ORIGINAL
AS FOUND - BONE STABILIZED.

NOTE

FARE MORE RARE THAN THE PRICE 
INDICATES - DESPITE OUR COMPANY
LOCATED IN THE #1 REGION FOR FINDING
THIS KIND OF FOSSIL, THIS IS THE FIRST 
TIME WE HAVE HAD SUCH A COMPLETE
AND WELL-PRESERVED EXAMPLE AS THIS.

INCLUDES STAND - Actual Item - One Only

Comes with a certificate of authenticity / information sheet

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HORSES

Primitive horse fossils are usually limited to isolated finds of teeth and some bones.  This is an extremely rare fossil LEFT MANDIBLE with ALL AUTHENTIC ORIGINAL TEETH (AND EVEN THE CANINE TEETH, and an unbroken symphysis of a primitive three-toed horse species that is seldom found in the North American fossil record -  Anchippus sp., a member of the Anchiteridae.  This was a three-toed browsing horse that emerged in North America during the Early Miocene.  Around 18 million years ago, this species migrated to Europe via the Bering land bridge and subsequently populated Europe.  Other than isolated teeth,  fossil remains of this species are  EXTREMELY RARE.  Despite our being based in the center of the continent's richest primitive horse fossil deposits, this if the FIRST TIME we have seen such a fossil.  It was reassembled from the original pieces in which it was found but due to its sheer rarity, we opted to keep it in its "scientific grade" form, so that one can exactly see ONLY original fossil, not concealed by any restoration work.  Far more rare than many fossil mandibles of various extinct animals, due to the scarcity of these fossils and their diminutive size making them extremely difficult to find.  

In North America during the Early Miocene, forests were dwindling and being replaced with grass plains for which this horse was well-suited to feed on the grasses found there.  The legs of this horse showed three-toes but the horse was able to stand on its middle toe and its legs were designed for fast running due to longer muscles and fused bones. 

This is an especially rare fossil to complete a horse evolution fossil exhibit made up of important, museum-level specimens.  This piece is  100% AUTHENTIC WITH REPAIR BUT NO FABRICATION OR COMPOSITING OF TEETH.  What is especially rare is the unbroken symphysis and original, unbroken pair of canine teeth that flank the anterior end!