MASSIVE PARADOXIDES TRILOBITE - Anti-Atlas Mountain Range, South Morocco

CAMBRIAN PERIOD:  543 - 510 million years ago

There are three major locations in Morocco where the largest trilobite called Paradoxides are found.  One area is known for its orange specimens, one for the more rare dark brown specimens and one where the rare brownish black specimens are found.  This trilobite is one of those dark brown examples and it is a beautiful and VERY rare fossil Paradoxides.  What's more, it is the truly largest example we have ever seen and most likely will ever be offering.  

Several years ago, our diggers hit a once-in-a-lifetime find and opened a large pocket that produced a multitude of some of the finest preserved Paradoxides in memory.  Realizing the extreme rarity in the discovery, we secured the entire deposit.  Nearly all of the ultra-rare REAL multiples you see elsewhere on this site were part of that find.  THIS SPECIFIC EXAMPLE WAS THE LARGEST OF ALL THAT WERE FOUND!

Due to the prevalence of fabrication in today's fossil market, one must exercise caution when examining trilobites.  The Paradoxides is one of the most reproduced trilobites and Moroccans will MAKE giant "fossils" to sell to unsuspecting collectors and dealers.  This specimen is a true massive example and there are several key features that prove this.  Both genal spines have intact and original impressions in the rock, the right spine being complete.  Knowing that portions of both spines are genuine, we know that the width of this giant is true and as found.  To rule out any artificial extending of the sides, we can examine the body and cephalon to see that these areas are 99% - 98% INTACT AND ORIGINAL!  The very minor amount of restoration was only performed over intact areas as part of the repair of this massive prize when damaged (as all are) upon extraction.  There's one other possible reason that we can rule out that this is not an exaggerated size Paradoxides.  One may say that pressure upon burial exerted greater than normal force flattening the animal to larger than normal proportions.  We can clearly see that this is also not the case as there is very high and dramatic relief across the entire fossil and the creature exhibits wonderful and full inflation throughout.

We have been saving this one for nearly two years.  As described above, its massive and record-breaking size is true and accurate as well as genuine.  If you want one of the rarest and certainly the largest Paradoxides to ever hit the public market for as long as we can remember, this is it!

THE ABSOLUTE LARGEST GENUINE PARADOXIDES SPECIMEN YOU WILL MOST LIKELY EVER SEE!

17" long x 17" wide with matrix, creature is 14.75" long x 14.25" wide

SOLD     TR126    INCLUDES STAND     Actual Item - One Only

1995