Opalized Pliosaurs, and other fossils including rough opal….It’s quite amazing that in the middle of the Australian dry outback you can find opalized pliosaurs and other fossils all opalized, sometimes with the most magnificent colors.

Rough Opal is often found in the form of ancient sea creatures

Such was the case in regard to ‘Eric’ the Opalized Pliosaur which was found in the famous White Cliffs Opal mine in South Australia. Other specimens have been found at Coober Pedy and in fact throughout the opal fields of Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, Yowah, Koroit, Quilpie, Blackall, Winton and surrounding areas in Queensland all sorts of fossils of who knows what have been found. Amazing looking formations that approximate the shapes of a pineapple have been found at White Cliffs. There seems to be no end to the amazing items to be found on the ground. Particularly in the Australian Outback.

I paid $300 or so for one spinal disc from a Pliosaur in Andamooka and here is the picture.

Also, we show pictures of Rough Opal, Opalized shells, snails, and other interesting records of ancient history preserved in the form of opal. Some with no play of color. Others with the most magnificent colors you could imagine.

Opalized Shells and Ancient Sea Creatures turned to stone

Excerpt from this summary: Pliosaurs are actually aquatic carnivorous reptiles, not dinosaurs. ‘Eric’ was a small, short-necked Pliosaur and was discovered by a miner in Coober Pedy in 1987.

‘Eric’ is one of the most complete opalized vertebrates known and became part of the fossil collection of the Australian Museum in 1993 after money to purchase the specimen was raised by the schoolchildren of Australia (with the help of Akubra Hats). ‘Eric’ is currently on display at the Australian Museum.

Opalized Pliosaurs, rough opal, and other fossils are often found at Lightning Ridge, Coober Pedy and to a lesser extent in the Queensland Boulder opal fields. Andrew Cody has an excellent collection of them and the illustration here depicts one.

The picture to the left is the fossil of one of these sea creatures being a part of the spine. To the right, we see a beautiful example of a crystal opal shell found at Coober Pedy in South Australia.