Aspiration Mural, Diplomystus Fossils

Our fishy friend here is Diplomystus, a fish well known from lower Eocene deposits in the Green River Formation. Now extinct, they were prolific in freshwater environments around the world, and are staples in the Green River Formation. In 1960, American president, Dwight Eisenhower, presented the Emperor of Japan with a beautiful Diplomystus specimen as a token of friendship with the nation of Japan. Fossils excavated from the Green River formation are characterized by their exquisite, highly detailed, brown-black preservation on a light cream limestone background. These specimens make a phenomenal display piece.

The focus of this mural shows a Diplomystus eating and choking on a smaller fish. Caught mid-meal, these deaths are referred to as "aspirations", which are very popular on the fossil market when they do appear.