New Zealand YouTuber uncovers '40-million-year-old' crab fossil sealed in rock

This New Zealand YouTuber uncovered a "40-million-year-old" crab fossil sealed in rock.

Mamlambo Fossils filmed a timelapse as he intricately removes the rock enclosing the fossil.

This New Zealand YouTuber uncovered a "40-million-year-old" crab fossil sealed in rock.

Mamlambo Fossils filmed a timelapse as he intricately removes the rock enclosing the fossil.

He told Newsflare: "I carefully prepare a fossil crab of Eocene age (around 40 million-years-old) that was found in Washington State, US.

"The species of crab is a Pulalius Vulgaris that is now extinct and can be found in these round rocks called concretions.

The concretions form naturally around the crabs after they die and can sometimes contain other fossils such as bits of bone, shark teeth and shells.

"The tool being used is a pneumatic air scribe which runs from an air compressor and works as a small jackhammer to chip the rock away from the fossil.

"It took nine hours to uncover the crab which I did over the course of three evenings.

To protect the crab and stop it from flaking, I apply a consolidant called paraloid B-72 to the carapace, legs and claws.

This also strengthens the fossil and brings out the colour.

"I didn't expose more of the crab as it was getting quite fragile and there was a risk of the fossil disintegrating or breaking apart." This footage was filmed in March.