Potamon Crab Fossil (G)- Denizli Basin | River Walkers Minerals

This is a beautifully open and splayed-out Potamon crab fossil preserved inside a broad travertine chamber from the Denizli Basin of southwestern Turkey. Unlike deeper, hidden-pocket specimens, this piece has a wide, naturally carved opening that gives a full, unobstructed view of the crab from above, making it a gorgeous display piece from every angle.

The crab itself is well defined, with the carapace, claws, and legs coated in fine, sugary mineralization. It rests naturally against a thick botryoidal floor, surrounded by rolled, bubble-like travertine textures that resemble a frozen underwater landscape. The ceiling and walls of the pocket are full of natural porosity and subtle layering. It is UV reactive and phosphorescent!

Nothing has been carved or reshaped; this crab remains exactly where mineral-rich spring waters deposited and preserved it during the Pleistocene era (approx 400,000 years old). Travertine from the Denizli Basin is known for its rapid deposition, which encapsulates freshwater Potamon crabs in positions that feel remarkably lifelike— and this specimen is one of the more open and atmosphere-rich examples.

The self-standing block shape and wide viewing window make this piece especially easy to display, whether lying flat or on any of its sides.

Details:

• Species: Potamon sp. (freshwater crab)
• Formation: Travertine
• Locality: Denizli Basin, southwestern Turkey
• Age: Pleistocene era (approx 400,000 years old)
• Dimensions: 5.6 × 4 in (approx. 14.2 × 10.1 cm)
• Weight: 1.7 lbs (approx. 771 g)