Pinnixa galliheri crabs

Pinnixa galliheri fossil crabs

These are Pinnixa galliheri fossil crab fragments from the Monterey formation of San Luis Obispo County, California, USA. They are also known as the 'pea crab'. The Monterey shale preserves them in excellent detail, where they are found in amongst the remains of fish, pine cones, and other crabs - a shallow coastal environment with a deciduous forest either by the shore or partially in the sea.

These crabs are approximately 8 million years old (Miocene), but the genus survives today. Please note, these pieces are extremely fragile and are preserved in a very lightweight shale. Due to their fragility, these pieces will be dispatched with extra padding and will only fit in a small parcel box, not a large letter box.

The specimens we currently have in stock are extremely fragmentary and typically consist of only a few legs, and perhaps a partial body. There may be evidence of further fossils in the blocks but there's nothing that especially stands out to my eyes. It's a real shame they are so fragmented, but, well - where else can you get a crab fossil for under £3?

Our current stock includes:

• #1 - 57.5x33.4x9MM - very fragmentary, several legs on the side of a shale chunk.
• #2 - 31.6x31.4x9.8MM - very fragmentary, several legs on the side of a shale chunk.
• #3 - 41x21.3x6.9MM - very fragmentary, several legs on the side of a shale chunk.
• #4 - 40x13.4x11.5MM - several legs and a partial body.
• #5 - 34x13.8x11.4MM - the most complete specimen I have; roughly one half of the full fossil, perhaps a little more.