Description
- Trilobite Fossil
- Species: Phacops sp.
- Age: Middle Devonian, 380 Million Years
- Source: Hamar L’Aghdad Limestones, Djebel Issoumour area, Anti-Atlas Mountains, Morocco
- Size: 45mm
- Image shows exact item received.
Trilobites are one of the most iconic and widely studied fossils in palaeontology. A family of extinct marine arthropods; trilobites appeared in the Cambrian period over 500 million years ago and thrived for more than 270 million years before going extinct at the end of the Permian. Fossils of these isopod-like creatures have been found in many countries all across the world, clearly indicating their presence in the Earths ancient oceans and the evolutionary success of these early arthropods. Trilobites are recognisable by their segmented bodies, articulated exoskeletons, and diverse morphological features.
This Trilobite fossil was found in Morocco. Morocco is world-renowned for its fossil trilobites, particularly those from the Devonian period. The Anti-Atlas Mountains in particular are abundant with trilobite fossils and are known for producing some of the highest quality specimens. A huge array of species have been discovered, remarkably preserved showing all their intricate details: spines, eyes, body segments, etc.
Fossils of the Trilobite genus Phacops have been discovered in Europe, North Africa, North America, South America and China, dated from the Late Ordovician until the end of the Devonian. They were round animals that lacked the spines and horns present in many Trilobite species, they had globose heads and large eyes and are believed to have been scavengers feeding on detritus. Their appearance and lifestyle was incredibly similar to modern-day isopods, they could even roll up as a defence mechanism. One of the most interesting biological features of Phacops is their compound eyes, made up of large separate lenses.
