3" Insane, Spiny Dicranurus Trilobite - Atchana, Morocco

This is a spectacular, 3" wide specimen of Dicranurus monstrosus, one of the most striking and sought-after trilobites from the Devonian of Morocco. With its wild array of long, curling spines and devilish head horns, this “monster” of the ancient sea looks more like a creature from myth than from our planet’s deep past. Every spine and segment has been meticulously prepared from the limestone matrix, revealing the full, dramatic exoskeleton of this armored arthropod in incredible three-dimensional detail. It only has about 3% shell restoration in total along repaired cracks and all of the spines are real.

Dicranurus monstrosus lived roughly 390 million years ago, prowling the sea floor of what is now the Atlas Mountains. Its barbed spines likely served as protection from predators in those ancient oceans. Because of its distinctive, otherworldly appearance and the skill required to free it from stone, this species has become an icon among trilobite collectors. A specimen like this isn’t just a fossil—it’s a prehistoric masterpiece, a fusion of art and evolution that commands attention in any collection.