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TRILOBITE OF THE WEEK

Captivating Fossil: CALYMENE breviceps

By Joseph “PaleoJoe” Kchodl This species of Silurian CALYMENE has a very bulbous and furrowed glabella. The trilobite is roughly triangular in shape with the cephalon that is roughly semi–circular in shape. This trilobite is fairly broad and has a small pygidium. The...

COMPTONASPIS swallowi: Plain Design And End of a Reign

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl The COMPTONASPIS swallowi species is another trilobite appearing at the end of the reign of trilobites. There was a catastrophic event at the end of the Permian period, which resulted in the trilobites being wiped out. This Mississippian...

Molting and Moving — BATHYURISCUS fimbriatus Trilobite

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl This Cambrian trilobite is found in the Wheeler formation of Delta County, Utah. Interestingly, it is quite uncommon to find this trilobite with free cheeks attached. Most examples appear as discarded molt because, with a hard exoskeleton,...

CALYMENE niagarensis Carries Commonality to Unique Localities

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl CALYMENE niagarensis is a very common Silurian trilobite found in the Rochester Shale. The trilobite is roughly triangular with a cephalon that is roughly semi-circular in shape. This trilobite is fairly broad, has a small pygidium, and...

Trilobite Hunting Grand Find: OLENELLUS fremonti

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl Nevada is known for its grand casinos, but for trilobite hunters, it is known for grand Cambrian trilobites. Equally grand, in terms of trilobite size, is the Nevada native OLENELLUS fremontii. This type of trilobite is known to grow up to...

ZACANTHOIDES idahoensis — A Predatory Carnivore

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl The featured fossil, a ZACANTHOIDES idahoensis, is a very spiny Cambrian trilobite with a wide cephalon that ends in long genal spines. The thorax is slender and contains nine segments and two pleural lobe sections that end in very long...

Oklahoma Trilobite Is Small in Size, But Big in Ornamentation

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl The KETTNERASPIS williamsi is a small but highly ornamented trilobite. Very broad and wide this trilobite has long spines, and was initially named LEONASPIS williamsi. The eyes are set high on the cephalon, and the cephalon ends in two very...

Oklahoma Delivers Plentiful and Beautiful Trilobites

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl Oklahoma is considered by some to be the best location for the best preservation of trilobites of the Devonian in the U.S. One specific location provides most if not all of the Devonian Haragan Formation Oklahoma bugs found for sale in rock...

Trilobite Body Size Doesn’t Always Determine Spine Size

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl The BELLACARTWRIGHTTIA whitelyi is a seldom-seen trilobite. As you may be well aware, trilobites are an extinct form of arthropod related to insects, crabs, crayfish, and horseshoe crabs. These creatures are called trilobite due to the...

Trilobite of the Week: Snout and spine help distinguish Huntonia Linguifer

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl Did you know trilobite get their name from the three distinct “lobes” running vertically through their body section? In this week’s trilobite review, we're looking at the HUNTONIA linguifer. This trilobite is very similar in size and shape...

CALYMENE celebra — The Pride of Wisconsin Fossils

By Joseph “PaleoJoe” Kchodl The common Silurian trilobite, CALYMENE celebra, is easy to identify, mostly because of the rock it is found in, the color, and excellent preservation. It is the State Fossil of Wisconsin. These trilobites are found in the Niagaran...

Trilobite Reveals Lead Up to Extinction

By Joseph “Paleo Joe” Kchodl As you may be well aware, trilobites are an extinct form of arthropod related to insects, crabs, crayfish, and horseshoe crabs. These creatures are called trilobite due to the three distinct “lobes” running vertically through the body...

Oklahoma’s Ornamented Trilobite

By Joseph "Paleo Joe" Kchodl DICRANURUS elegantus is a very highly ornamented spiny Devonian trilobite species. It has very long and flowing genal, thoracic and pygidial spines. Preparation of this trilobite preserved in limestone is very painstaking and time...

Trilobite Tuesday: An Erie Canal Connection

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl ARCTINURUS boltoni is a well known and dramatic trilobite found in the Silurian deposits of New York State. During the digging of the Erie Canal in the 1820’s, these trilobites were a unique find. Trilobites are an extinct form of arthropod...

Trilobite Tuesday: Eldredgeops rana

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl As you may be well aware, trilobites are an extinct form of arthropod related to insects, crabs, crayfish and horseshoe crabs. These creatures are called trilobite due to the three distinct “lobes” running vertically through the body...

Trilobite Tuesday: Triarthrus

By Joseph "PaleoJoe" Kchodl Trilobites are an extinct form of arthropod related to insects, crabs, crayfish and horseshoe crabs. These creatures are called trilobite due to the three distinct “lobes” running vertically through the body section. Arguably one of the...

Trilobite Thursday: Asaphiscus wheeleri

Trilobite Tuesday: What is a trilobite?

Trilobites are an extinct form of arthropod related to insects, crabs, crayfish and horseshoe crabs. These creatures are called trilobite due to the three distinct “lobes” running vertically through the body section. There is a central or “axial” lobe and two pleural...

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Fossil of the Month September Knightia

Knightia is a species of fish found in the Green river Formation of Wyoming. The rock splits cleanly along bedding planes revealing the exquisitely preserved fish, usually NO cleaning required.

Fossil of the Month of May Hexagonaria, The Petoskey Stone

The Petoskey Stone is the State Stone of Michigan. But it is not a Petoskey until it is polished. In it's natural form it is actually a fossilized colonial coral called hexagonaria. There are several types of the Hex. Many are found along the shores of Lake Michigan...

Fossil of the Month March Gastropods

Gastropods commonly called Snails. This is a great example of a Silurian snail from the Rochester Shale formation. Gastropods belong to the phylum Mollusca. The class of fossil Gastropoda in my collection is comprised of snails from saltwater. I have not yet found any...

Fossil of the Month February Cystoid

Cystoids were animals that lived in the shallow salt water seas. This one is from the famous Rochester Shale of Middleport New York. It is Silurian in age. The Cystoid is made up of a "stem" using a "holdfast" to attach itself to a rock or bryozoan. At the top of the...

Fossil of the Month January Brachiopods

Brachiopods have a hard external shell that is comprised of two asymmetrical halves called valves. The pedicle valve generally has a hole in it where the pedical or a stalk like structure like a "foot" comes out. Each half of the brachiopod shell has a slightly...

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