Is it possible to die of a too-full belly? At this RV Short Stop just off busy I-70 in Hays, Kansas, that’s a question to be pondered. We’re talking about a fish — an ancient fish — that may have met its fate by having eyes bigger than its belly. We’re likely talking about a tummy ache bigger than even a couple bottles of Tums could have cured.
It was a sweltering summer day in 1952 when George F. Sternberg and his crew uncovered the fossil in Smoky Hill limestone chalk. What laid before them was a well-preserved 13-foot fish called Xiphactinus. Upon further inspection, the other smaller fish was discovered, also well-preserved, a 6-foot Gillicus trapped within the belly of the Xiphactinus. Once Sternberg and his crew were able to free the fossil from the chalk, they transported it to the museum which at the time was located on the campus of Fort Hays State University. It’s now in a nearby location.
From there, Sternberg prepared and displayed the fossil which became famously known worldwide as the Fish-within-a-Fish.
Since its discovery in the year 1952, the Fish-within-a-Fish has captivated audiences young and old alike. To see not only one, but two, nearly complete fossil skeletons brings a sense of wonder and excitement.
There is also the mystery of how the large fish met its end. Paleontologists examined the fossil, similar to how police investigate a crime scene, to get a sense of what might have happened. Some have speculated that perhaps the Gillicus was too large of a meal for the Xiphactinus, and others have said that maybe some larger, other unforeseen force was the cause of death.
Whatever may have caused the animal’s demise, one thing is for sure, it didn’t die hungry.
Two years ago, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the Fish-within-a-Fish, the Sternberg Museum of Natural History partnered with Defiance Brewing Company to create a beer called Gillicus Island, named after the smaller fish of the Fish-within-a-Fish fossil. Gillicus Island can be purchased anywhere Defiance products are sold, or customers can visit Defiance Tap Room at 2050 Old Highway 40 and enjoy a pint there.
The museum is open March through September from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., Sundays. In the winter, it closes Mondays.
Most of the information in this article is courtesy of the museum.
