Fossil Crab in Travertine

A captivating snapshot into geologic time, this fossil from Turkey features a perfectly preserved Freshwater Crab within a travertine limestone. Travertine is a type of limestone that forms around mineral springs. It is often mined / quarried for use in building materials such as the creation of stone tile and countertops. As large stone blocks of travertine are cut and removed from this rock formation in southwestern Turkey, hollow voids are sometimes discovered with these amazing Crab fossils inside!

Just like modern-day Crabs, these cuties burrowed into the substrate, creating little houses, caves, or burrows in the softer sediment below surface. This particular species of Crab, Potamon potamios, are considered true freshwater crabs due to their semi-terrestrial habit and total independence from the marine environment.

The travertine deposits in the Denizli Basin of Turkey are Pleistocene age, having been formed within the past 100,000 to 400,000 years. These crabs are estimated to be approximately 100,000 years old and are found preserved in stunning detail within their fossilized burrows. The fossil will fluorescence and phosphoresce a brilliant neon lime green color under UV Flashlight exposure (see photos for detail).

Approx. 4.8"L x 4.5"W x 2"H

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