Fish faunal diversity is high, while invertebrate diversity is only moderate. The high diversity of fish and the wide range of body forms is evidence of a complex ecosystem most similar to modern bay or estuarine commun ities. Fossils are preserved along a spectrum that ranges from scattered scales to the extreme of venous systems and skin pigments, or fine traces of soft tissues in some invertebrates. Classical explana tions for the preservation of such fauna invoke anoxic bottom waters, but there is a ubiquitous bottom-living and burrowing component of the fish fauna through both sets of beds and all across the basin, that demonstrates the presence of a livable aerobic benthic environment. It is evident that whatever the explanation for the extraordinary preservation, the best-preserved animals and plants were killed and buried in the same event.
Work continues on the descriptions of the fish and on understanding their relationships and ecology.
Some of these fish, however, are of considerable interest and beauty, and those that are availa ble for placement in the public eye are presented here , with brief remarks upon each. Further extraordinary fish will be added to this site as they become available. A bibliography of publications on the Bear Gulch Limestone and its fossils is also included.