3.9" Trilobite Mortality Plate Fossil Devonian Age 400 Million Years Old COA
Location: Morocco
Weight: 15.5 Ounces
Dimensions: 3.9 Inches Long, 2.8 Inches Wide, 1.2 Inches Thick (Matrix)
Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.
The item pictured is the one you will receive.
Trilobites represent one of the most important fossil groups in paleontology. As members of the extinct class Trilobita, they lived exclusively in ancient oceans for over 270 million years, from the Cambrian to the end of the Permian period.
These marine invertebrates occupied diverse habitats, from shallow continental shelves to deeper marine basins. Their segmented bodies were divided into a head shield with compound eyes and antennae, a flexible thorax composed of multiple articulated segments, and a fused tail shield known as the pygidium.
Trilobites molted their exoskeletons as they grew, contributing to the vast number of fossils found today. Because specific trilobite species existed during limited time intervals, their fossils serve as valuable index fossils used by geologists to date sedimentary rock formations.
Their evolutionary diversity, unique body structure, and exceptional preservation make trilobites one of the most studied and collected fossil groups worldwide.
How Was a Trilobite’s Body Structured?
The trilobite body was divided into three main anatomical regions:
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Cephalon (head): Included compound eyes, mouthparts, and sensory organs such as antennae
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Thorax: A flexible middle section composed of 2 to 61 articulated segments
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Pygidium (tail): A fused rear section forming a protective shield
Why Are Trilobite Fossils So Common?
Thanks to their durable exoskeletons, trilobites fossilized easily. As a result, they are one of the most abundant, diverse, and well-studied fossil groups in the world, prized by scientists, educators, and fossil collectors alike.
Please be aware of the nature of fossils:
Being buried under tons of pressure for millions of years makes fossils rough. No fossil emerges perfect; most are restored or altered to improve presentation. Moroccan workers are professional in unearthing and preserving treasures, though surface cracks are visible—part of their natural beauty, not defects.