trilobites
Extinct segmented sea-dwellers
Trilobites are extinct marine arthropods that dominated ocean floors for nearly 300 million years, from the Cambrian period until the mass extinction at the end of the Permian.
Their fossils—distinctive three-lobed bodies divided into head, thorax, and tail segments—are among the most recognizable ancient remains: The hillside was littered with trilobite fossils.
They ranged from millimeters to over two feet in length.
External skeletal structure
- segmentsSeparate parts of something
- thoraxCentral body cavity
- compound eyesMulti-lensed visual organs
- antennaeSensory appendages on insects
molting · articulated · enrolled · spines · glabella · carapace · appendages · growth stages
Preserved ancient organism traces
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
- OrdovicianPaleozoic geological period
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- PaleozoicEarly complex-life epoch
specimens · preserved · ancient · geological · sedimentary · shale · limestone · impressions
Jointed-limb invertebrates
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- generaTaxonomic ranks above species
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
- familiesRelated people living together
orders · biodiversity · evolution · phylogeny · morphology · diversity · radiation
exoskeleton
External skeletal structure
- segmentsSeparate parts of something
- thoraxCentral body cavity
- compound eyesMulti-lensed visual organs
antennae · molting · articulated · enrolled · spines · glabella · carapace · appendages · growth stages
fossils
Preserved ancient organism traces
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
- OrdovicianPaleozoic geological period
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
Paleozoic · specimens · preserved · ancient · geological · sedimentary · shale · limestone · impressions · petrified
arthropods
Jointed-limb invertebrates
- speciesFinest taxonomic rank
- generaTaxonomic ranks above species
- classificationSystematic grouping by traits
families · orders · biodiversity · evolution · phylogeny · morphology · diversity · radiation
specimens
Representative items for examination
- dealersThose who sell merchandise
- preparationArranging things in advance
- matrixOrdered numerical arrangement
cleaning · Morocco · Utah · Oklahoma · Czech Republic · Russia · display · cabinet · amateur · hobbyist
- fossil arthropodssea scorpions, insect fossils, amber fossil
- trilobitesglabella, thorax, exoskeleton, compound eyes, segments
- arthropodsarthropod, arthropods, Arthropoda, insects, insect
- Extinct Animalsdinosaur, dinosaurs, tyrannosaurus, dodo, mammoth
- extinct creaturesdinosaurs, ammonites, mammoths, pterosaurs, plesiosaurs
- fossilsdinosaur bones, ammonite, amber, ammonites, fossils
trilobiteshorseshoe crabs
Marine arthropods with domed shells
living fossils · cockroaches · nautilus · coelacanths · sharks
trilobitesinsects
Six-legged arthropods
spiders · butterflies · beetles · horseshoe crabs · centipedes
trilobitesammonites
Extinct coiled-shell cephalopods
brachiopods · gastropods · bivalves · corals