Trilobites

 

 

The Hazen collection of Trilobites, which was begun in 1969, includes approximately 2,000 specimens representing almost different 1,000 species from six continents. The collection has strong coverage of specimens from the Cambrian, Ordovician and Devonian of Morocco, the Ordovician of Russia, the Cambrian and Silurian of Bohemia, and all periods from the United Kingdom and North America. The collection will be donated to the Smithsonian Institution over the next several years (the first specimens were transferred in 2007) as it is fully photographed and catalogued. Approximately 45 exceptional pieces will be included in the forthcoming Hall of Ocean Life, which will open in November 2008. The following photographs, representing approximately 3% of the collection, underscore the astonishing diversity of trilobites.

 

The Smithsonian Department of Paleobiology

 

Arctinurus boltoni, Silurian, Rochester, NY. The larger individual is 14 cm long.

 

Acidaspis (Boedaspis) kukersiana, St. Petersburg, Russia. A spectacular Ordovician odontopleurid,

 

Paraceraurus excul (Cheirurus ingricus), Ordovician, St. Petersburg, Russia. 18 cm long; one of the largest known.

 

Hoplolichas plautiny, St. Petersburg, Russia

 

Sphaerocoryphe sp., St. Petersburg, Russia. 4.4 cm.

 

Nieskowskia sp., Ordovician, St. Petersburg, Russia

 

Acanthopyge sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Probolichas sp., Devonian, Sweden. A strange beast!

 

Deiphon barrandei, Wenlock Limestone, Dudley, UK. One of the great UK rarities. This one, collected in the 19th century, has some restoration.

 

Spaerexochus brittanicus, Silurian, Wenlock, Dudley, UK.

 

Meteoraspis, Weeks Fm., Middle Cambrian, Utah

 

Eofallotaspis, Lower Cambrian, Utah. Perhaps the oldest trilobite from North America.

 

Olenellus fowleri, Cambrian, Nevada.

 

Olenoides nevadensis, Cambrian, Pierson Cove Formation, Millard County, Utah

 

Multiple slab with more than 100 complete trilobites, including Elrathia kingi, Bollaspidella housensis and Peronopsis interstrictus. Cambrian, Wheeler Shale, House Range, Millard County, Utah

 

Utaspis marjumensis, Cambrian, Marjum formation, Utah

 

Norwoodia bellaspina, Weeks Fm., Utah

 

Tricrepicephalus, Utah

 

Ameura major, Pennsylvanian, Dennis Limestone, Kansas City, Kansas. Enrolled, 2.4 cm.

 

Multiple plate with Mystrocephala rara, Pseudodechenella rowi, and Eldregeops rana. Devonian, Ten Mile Creek Dolomite, Lucas County, Ohio. Largest trilobite is 2.8 cm long. This specimen was collected by Alex Fabian from overburden at the now-filled Seaway Quarry north of Toledo Airport. Preparation by Scott Vergiels.

 

Breviphillipsia sampsoni, Mississippian, Chateau Formation, Saline County, Missouri

 

Pseudophillipsia artiensis, Permian, Russia. 2.5 cm.

 

Pudoproetus sp., Mississippian, Edwardsville Formation, Montgomery County, Indiana

 

Griffithides bufo, Mississippian, Crawfordsville, Montgomery Co., Indiana

 

Dechenella sp., Devonian, Morocco. 3 cm.

 

Odontochile spinformis, Devonian, Morocco

 

Ceratarges and Phacops, Devonian, Morocco

 

Ceratarges sp., Devonian, Morocco.

 

Comura (Philonix sp.) sp., Devonian, Morocco. 8 cm.

 

Crotalocephalus gibbus, Devonian, Morocco. 12 cm.

 

Saharops sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Koneprussia, Devonian, Morocco. Spines on spine variety.

 

Giant Asaphid trilobite, 52 cm long, "The King“ Ordovician, Morocco.

 

Paralejurus sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Platyscutellum sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Thysanopeltis sp. (spiny variety), Devonian, Morocco

 

Thysanopeltis sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Cambropallas anadalusiana, Cambrian, Morocco. 20 cm.

 

Paradoxides gracilis, Cambrian, Czechoslovakia. A classic Bohemian species.

 

"Long-forked Trident" Walliserops trifurcatus, Devonian, Hamar Laghdad Formation, Morocco.

 

Ceratonurus sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Drotops armatus, Devonian, Morocco. 15 cm outstretched.

 

Tropidocoryphe sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Radiaspis sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Lobopyge nov. sp., Devonian, Morocco

 

Asaphopsis brevica, Ordovician, China. Specimen donated to the Calvert Marine Museum.

 

Calymene clavicula, Silurian, Oklahoma

 

Acidaspis sp., Ordovician, Kentucky.

 

Miraspis mira, Silurian, Czechoslovakia

 

Meadowtownella (Primaspis) sp., Ontario, Ohio

 

Piltonia kuehnei, Mississippian, Belgium

 

Eoharpes sp., Ordovician, Morocco. 2.4 cm.

 

Greenops widderensis, Devonian, Arkona, Ontario, Canada.

 

Broggerolithus broggeri, Ordovician, UK

 

Seleneceme sp., Ordovician, UK

 

Middle Cambrian, Morocco

 

Fallotaspis sp., Cambrian, Morocco.

 

Hamatolenus sp., Cambrian, Morocco.

 

Unidentified, Cambrian, Morocco.

 

Resserops sp., Cambrian, Morocco

 

Accadoparadoxides, Cambrian, Morocco. 19 cm. An unusual 99% original specimen.

 

Unknown Cambrian trilobite, Morocco

 

Eccoptochile sp., Ordovician, Morroco, 14.5 cm.

 

Selenopeltis nov. sp., Ordovician, Morocco

 

Placoparia, Ordovician, Morocco

 

Ordovician cheirurid, Dra Valley, Morocco.

 

Retamaspis melendezi, Ordovician, Portugal. Multiple plate.

 

"Devil horn" Cyphaspis, Devonian, Morocco

 

Saharops sp., Devonian.Morocco

 

Koneprussia (spine-on-spine variety), Devonian, Morocco

 

Fake Burmeisterella from Morocco. I've been fascinated by the extensive production of fake trilobites in Morocco, where such objects are considered more as sculptures than forgeries. I have about a dozen partial or complete fakes of this kind, including examples that I've watched being cast from "Bondo" auto body cement.