Trilobite Phacops

Ancient Fossils

Trilobites are among the oldest known fossils and lived long before the dinosaurs appeared on Earth. These ancient sea creatures first appeared in the Cambrian, about 520 million years ago, and went extinct by the end of the Permian, about 250 million years ago. In the 270 million years that trilobites lived on Earth, they were very successful, and numerous species emerged.

Naming

The trilobites belonged to the arthropods and lived underwater. The name "trilobite" is derived from the three-lobed structure of their exoskeleton, which always has a raised central lobe with two side lobes. In length, the trilobite is also divided into three parts: the head, the thorax (middle section), and the tail plate.

Exoskeleton

To date, 17,000 different species of trilobites have been described, divided into 9 orders. All trilobites had an exoskeleton mainly composed of calcium. This skeleton is what has fossilized and is found today. Note: Fossils are fragile, and trilobites may have been prepared.