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RARE GRADE PARADOXIDES TRILOBITE Anti-Atlas Mountain Range, South Morocco CAMBRIAN PERIOD: 543 - 510 million years ago From a very rare Anti-Atlas Range discovery of a small cache of superb grade Paradoxides, this specimen is one of the very few of the finest of that group that we have left. The occurrence of this find happened several years ago and realizing a lifetime opportunity was at hand, we secured the entire group which totaled just over 100 specimens including about a dozen multiple examples. The majority of the lot have been sold, many going to university, state and national museums around the world. At the time of this posting, we still have a few superb grade examples left including some multiple examples posted on other pages in the Paradoxides section. WARNING: The Paradoxides trilobite is one of the most popular fossils to fake and every fossil shop, online auction and fossil show will invariably present several for sale. Whether ignorant or just plain crooked, very few sellers will HONESTLY AND CORRECTLY disclose if the Paradoxides they offer is a complete fake or mostly restored. Any educated buyer will agree this is a stigma with this species despite it being one of the most impressive display fossils and the largest trilobite that ever existed in the Cambrian. This remarkable Paradoxides can boast of having only 7% - 8% restoration mainly on the right genal spine, cheeks and some tips of the pleural spines with some cracks filled on the body. Close up images show detail and features rarely if ever seen in this type. The vast majority of Paradoxides specimens on the market are either heavily restored or completely fabricated. This is due in part, to the destructive nature of the extraction of these type of fragile shale limestone Cambrian fossils. Most are destroyed or severely broken necessitating EXTENSIVE restoration. This specimen is a rarity and offers an opportunity to acquire a quality never seen yet at a price comparable to commercial gallery specimens. If you appreciate and are willing to invest in a rare high grade example, then do not pass up this rare opportunity to add to your collection a quality of Paradoxides that exceeds most public collections and exhibitions.
Next to dinosaur fossils, trilobites command a dedicated and passionate following amongst both scientists and fossil collectors, alike. In a relatively short time-frame (scientifically speaking, of course), we have the emergence and subsequent extinction of these fascinating creatures. Still most baffling is the incredible diversity of sizes and features that made up the trilobite group. Many bizarre species co-existed with highly specialized body parts that defy the theories of evolution in their "sudden" emergence and diversity during the Early Cambrian Period in what is known as the 'Cambrian Explosion'. Trilobites were among the world's first arthropods, a phylum of hard-shelled creatures with multiple body segments and jointed legs (although the legs, antennae and other finer structures of trilobites only very rarely are preserved). They constitute an extinct class of arthropods, Trilobita, that is comprised of over 15,000 known species. It has been reported that every year, four to five new species are discovered in the Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountain regions in Morocco, alone! This desolate northern fringe of the Sahara Desert was once covered by a prehistoric ocean and its fossil deposits can be considered the world's richest and most diverse source of these ancient sea creatures. Trilobites are the single most diverse group of extinct organisms that ever existed, period! The smallest known trilobite is just three millimeters long, while the largest type grew to a length of 70 centimeters (over two feet long!). The most common fossil of trilobites is the mineralized dorsal exoskeleton of the creature. This is found in partial form from molting (shedding the shell as it grows) or in complete form when the animal was buried and died intact. The soft parts of the underside are rarely preserved. The name 'TRILOBITE' means 'three lobed" and is derived from the fact these animals had bodies featuring three longitudinal lobes, not lateral (head, body, tail) as is often thought. The lateral division of three parts is shared by many arthropods, not just trilobites. Considerable study has been done on trilobites as a whole organism. Even more fascinating though, is the research done on a microscopic level with regards to trilobite morphology. Radiographs have captured incredible detail of complete and fully articulated antennae and underparts like legs and gills, preserved in the host rock of some fossilized specimens. Perhaps the most impressive and classic feature of trilobites that comes to mind is the eyes. Microscopic studies of trilobite eye structures have also revealed marvelous adaptation and very high degrees of specialization in vision. It seems that the more we learn about trilobites, the unfolding of their mystery is stranger than fiction. Certainly we gain a greater appreciation with each new discovery of these strange and highly advanced but now extinct 'butterflies of the ancient seas'. UNCOMMON PRESERVATION AND IN A LARGER SIZE - EXCELLENT QUALITY DISPLAY SPECIMEN! 15.75" long x 13" wide with matrix, trilobite is 13" long x 10.5" wide $875 TR1-009 INCLUDES STAND Actual Item - One Only |
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