5.5" Lower Cambrian Trilobite (Neltneria) - Issafen, Morocco

This is a huge, 5.5" long, Lower Cambrian trilobite (Neltneria termieri) from Issafen Formation. This is one of the more uncommon species in the formation. The specimen has been prepared to bring it out in good relief against the rock by carving around the spines.

At 5 1/2" long this is by far the largest example of the species that I have seen.

In the past few years, deposits near Issafen, Morocco have begun yielding a new assemblage of Early Cambrian trilobites. This fauna is very diverse and consists mainly of ellipsocephalids, chengkouiids, gigantopygids, holmiids, neltneriids, saukiandids, and the latest fallotaspids. The shale is a greenish to slightly yellow color when freshly split, but weathers to a light grey.

Trilobites were a very diverse group of extinct marine arthropods. They first appeared in the fossil record in the Early Cambrian (521 million years ago) and went extinct during the Permian mass extinction (250 million years ago). They were one of the most successful of the early animals on our planet: over 25,000 species have been described, filling nearly every evolutionary niche. Due in large part to their hard exoskeletons (shells), they left an excellent fossil record.


SOLD
DETAILS
SPECIES
Neltneria termieri
LOCATION
Issafen, Morocco
FORMATION
Issafen Formation
SIZE
5.5" long
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#227808
GUARANTEE
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our
specimens. Read more about our
Authenticity Guarantee.