Trilobite Phacops Fossil
These are two unusual trilobites. Like other trilobites, the creature is made up of three different parts, the cephalon (head), the thorax (body), and the pygidium (tail). The creature was protected by a hard calcite shell and this is what remains fossilized to this day. This shell would not grow with the creature so the shell was molted away several times during the creature’s lifetime.
Thus one trilobite may have left several fossils during its lifetime. The trilobite is the first creature known to have eyes, some believe that the trilobite had 360-degree vision. The phacops specimens have truly amazing eyes. These eyes are called schizochroal or aggregate eyes. The calcite lenses are sometimes preserved. Often the phacops has bumps preserved on the surface of the specimen.
Like other fossils, the trilobites require a lot of work in cleaning and preparing the pieces for display. May you enjoy your fossil, as it is a scientific find as well as a link to our distant past. Fossils are to be treasured and preserved for future generations.
These are two unusual trilobites. Like other trilobites, the creature is made up of three different parts, the cephalon (head), the thorax (body), and the pygidium (tail). The creature was protected by a hard calcite shell and this is what remains fossilized to this day. This shell would not grow with the creature so the shell was molted away several times during the creature’s lifetime.
Thus one trilobite may have left several fossils during its lifetime. The trilobite is the first creature known to have eyes, some believe that the trilobite had 360-degree vision. The phacops specimens have truly amazing eyes. These eyes are called schizochroal or aggregate eyes. The calcite lenses are sometimes preserved. Often the phacops has bumps preserved on the surface of the specimen.
Like other fossils, the trilobites require a lot of work in cleaning and preparing the pieces for display. May you enjoy your fossil, as it is a scientific find as well as a link to our distant past. Fossils are to be treasured and preserved for future generations.
Description
These are two unusual trilobites. Like other trilobites, the creature is made up of three different parts, the cephalon (head), the thorax (body), and the pygidium (tail). The creature was protected by a hard calcite shell and this is what remains fossilized to this day. This shell would not grow with the creature so the shell was molted away several times during the creature’s lifetime.
Thus one trilobite may have left several fossils during its lifetime. The trilobite is the first creature known to have eyes, some believe that the trilobite had 360-degree vision. The phacops specimens have truly amazing eyes. These eyes are called schizochroal or aggregate eyes. The calcite lenses are sometimes preserved. Often the phacops has bumps preserved on the surface of the specimen.
Like other fossils, the trilobites require a lot of work in cleaning and preparing the pieces for display. May you enjoy your fossil, as it is a scientific find as well as a link to our distant past. Fossils are to be treasured and preserved for future generations.
