Meyeria Lobster Fossils from the UK

Fossilised Lobster - Meyeria

These are interesting little fossils - lobsters known as Meyeria from the Isle of Wight.

Specifically, these are Meyeria vectensis or Meyeria magna from the Atherfield clay of Atherfield on the Isle of Wight.

They are from the Cretaceous, around 66-100 million years old.

These fossils often turn up with attached anomiid bivalves, in a rare example of paleo-symbiosis. 

Our current stock includes;

• #1 - 52.5x26.3x11MM - an interesting specimen - while the lobster is unfortunately somewhat weathered and indistinct this piece also has several anomiid bivalves attached.
• #2 - 27x26x10.5MM - a partial fossil, with the abdomen enrolled, with a single anomiid bivalve attached. It looks as though some of the legs may be preserved within the matrix, although these nodules are quite fragile and further prep might cause damage.
• #3 - 43.4x32.4x10.5MM - Another partial largely consisting of the abdomen and some leg fragments.
• #4 - 37x32x16.5MM - a partial fossil consisting of a well detailed piece of carapace and some leg fragments.
• #5 - 76x43x16MM - a reasonably complete piece with a decent carapace, possibly missing part of the head and the tail.
• #6 - 38x20x9MM - a fragment consisting of the abdomen/tail. It has been broken during extraction and glued back together.
• #7 - 66x32x20.5MM - a reasonable specimen - most of the carapace and numerous leg fragments, with one anomiid bivalve. This piece has been broken during extraction and glued back together.
• #8 - 54x30.5x12MM - an okay piece, with most of the carapace and many leg fragments, it seems to be missing the abdomen unless this is still in the matrix.