POSITIVE/NEGATIVE DRAGONFLY Protolindenia wittei Jurassic,... Lot 17

POSITIVE/NEGATIVE DRAGONFLY Protolindenia wittei Jurassic, Tithonian stage Solnhofen Formation, Eichsätt, Germany The fine-grained lithographic limestone of Solnhofen is renowned for the exquisite state of preservation observed in its abundant fossils of the late Jurassic, 145-150 million years ago. The present specimen shows beautiful definition in the remains of an ancient Dragonfly, but most impressive is that it has been preserved in the rare form of a positive and negative fossil. Geological conditions must be just right for this to occur. The slab here was split in two to reveal not only the fossilized body of a delicate, elegant Dragonfly, but also a cast of the body, the negative impression. Dragonflies are among the most dramatic insect fossils and are known as far back as the Carboniferous period with very little change to their anatomy, an indication of its successful design for over 350 million years. This specimen has a wingspan of approximately 3 ¼ inches (8.3 cm) on natural limestone matrix plates of 7 x 8 ½ inches (18 x 22 cm).