90-Million-Year-Old Disc Fish Fossil Caught on a Fisherman’s Hook in Nebraska, Potentially Worth Over $100,000.
Fisherman Andy Moore stumbled upon the fossil in early August while participating in a fishing tournament on the Missouri River, as reported by Newsweek on August 23. Initially, Moore thought the hook had snagged a rock. After kayaking over to untangle the line, he noticed what appeared to be the skeleton of a creature that had died relatively recently. Moore took photos and returned to the tournament.
Fossil discovered by Moore during a hunting trip. (Photo: KETV News).
Later, the Nebraska fisherman realized it could be a fossil after sharing the photos from the tournament on social media, which garnered significant attention. Moore decided to contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency that oversees the river. They promptly sent his photo to a geologist. Moore and the geologist quickly returned to the fossil discovery site using GPS data from the photo. The researcher confirmed to Moore that it was a 90-million-year-old fossil of a disc fish.
Scientifically named Xiphactinus audax, this species was a giant fish that lived in the Western Interior Seaway, which divided North America into two regions about 100 million years ago. They had large jaws and sharp teeth, with some of the longest disc fish reaching sizes of up to 6 meters. Disc fish fossils are highly valuable, with a complete specimen estimated to be worth between $125,000 and $175,000.
Most fossilized animals are buried under sediment, leaving behind distinct traces of their hard bones. The fossil discovered by Moore will be dried and displayed at the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center in Crofton, Nebraska.
