Fossil Shrimp | Antrimpos speciosus | Germany

Antrimpos speciosus MuensterUpper Jurassic (~155-150 MYO)Solnhofen LimestoneEichstätt, Germany Shrimp approx. size: 4" Antennae to tail approx. size: 8" Matrix approx. size: 11" x 8.75" This beautiful, aesthetic and well preserved fossil shrimp comes from the famous Solnhofen lithographic limestone, in Eichstätt, Germany. This specimen has had minimal restoration. This particular region is home to some of the world's most key fossil discoveries, including Archaeopteryx, the oldest bird fossil to have been found by paleontologists.   Antrimpos speciosus is an extinct species of shrimp from the order Decapoda, family Penaeidae, that lived during the Jurassic period. It is one of the many well-preserved fossil crustaceans known from Solnhofen limestone in Germany, a famous Lagerstätte that provides exceptional preservation of soft-bodied organisms. Antrimpos speciosus inhabited shallow marine environments of the Jurassic seas. The Solnhofen deposits suggest it lived in warm, lagoonal waters with low oxygen levels, which contributed to the excellent preservation of its fossils. It was likely a nektonic or benthic predator, feeding on small invertebrates. Fossils of Antrimpos speciosus are highly detailed due to the fine-grained Solnhofen limestone, often showing soft tissue impressions. The exceptional preservation allows paleontologists to study not only its exoskeleton but also fine details of appendages and possible coloration patterns.