Mined from: Greta Siltstone Formation, likely Motunau Beach area, North Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand

Era: Cenozoic
Geological Age:  Pliocene Epoch, approximately 5.33 to 2.58 mya

Description: This one of a kind Trichopeltarion greggi fossil is preserved as a two-part concretion, with the crab held in one half and the matching negative impression in the other. The specimen has a strong natural display presence because both sides are included, letting you see not only the preserved carapace but also the shape of the original cavity that formed around it. The shell shows a muted tan to brown color against a grey siltstone matrix, with the carapace still sitting proud above the rock and several leg elements visible around the margins.

Trichopeltarion greggi is a recognized fossil crab species first described by R. K. Dell in 1969 from the Greta Siltstone of North Canterbury. The Greta Siltstone is a marine sedimentary unit made up mainly of mudstone, siltstone, and muddy fine sandstone, and crab fossils from this unit are known from concretions weathered from the coastal exposures. This makes pieces like this especially appealing because they preserve both the animal and the nodule it formed in, rather than just a flattened fragment.

Collectors are often drawn to fossil crabs like this for what they symbolize: protection, resilience, and the quiet persistence of life in ancient seas. A split nodule specimen also carries that added sense of discovery, since it shows both the hidden interior and the fossil that was locked inside for millions of years.

Quantity: 1pc

With this product, you will get the actual stone in the photograph. We do what we can to buy good quality products and price them honestly. The rocks may differ from the photos, but we hope we do them justice.