1.9" Metacanthina Issoumourensis Trilobite Fossil Devonian Age 400 Mil Yrs Old COA
Location: Lghaft, Morocco
Weight: 4.5 Ounces
Dimensions: 2.9 Inches Long, 1.5 Inches Wide, 1.5 Inches Thick (Matrix)
The trilobite is: 1.9 Inches Long, 1.1 Inches Wide, 0.4 Inches thick
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
Metacanthina Issoumourensis
Trilobites are a fossil group of extinct marine arthropods that form the class Trilobita. Trilobites form one of the earliest known groups of arthropods. The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record defines the base of the Atdabanian stage of the Early Cambrian period (521 million years ago). They were hard-shelled, segmented creatures that lived in Earth's ancient seas. They are considered among our planet's earliest complex life-forms and are a key signature creature of the Paleozoic Era. Trilobites went extinct before dinosaurs ever existed.
Trilobites were the first creatures with a skeleton (Exoskeleton), so they were easily fossilized. Their shell is divided lengthwise into three lobes (hence, the name TRILOBITE meaning "three-lobed"): a central axial lobe, and two symmetrical pleural lobes that flank the axis.
Morphologically, the trilobite body is divided into three major sections:
1. a cephalon (or head) with eyes, mouth parts, and sensory organs such as antennae.
2. a middle region called the thorax with a number of overlapping segments (anywhere from 2 to 61).
3. a pygidium (or tail section) in which the segments were fused.
Please be aware of the nature of fossils:
Being buried underground for millions of years under tons of pressure can be rough. No fossil comes out of the ground whole and perfect. Most fossils have undergone some restoration, while others are altered by man simply to enhance their presentation in different ways. The workers in Morocco do a very professional job of unearthing and preserving these natural treasures; however, natural cracks are commonly visible on the surface. These are part of the fossil's natural beauty and are not considered defects.