Trilobites
These specimens are from one of the greatest fossil localities in the early Paleozoic. They occur in the desert of western Utah where wild horses roam and water is scarce. We have been collecting here since the 1970s.
How The Fossils Formed – The Wheeler Shale fossils were exceptionally preserved through rapid burial in fine-grained sediments that deposited in oxygen-poor marine environments. This area was a deep ocean and the fossils were preserved in deep water mudflows which periodically buried the plants and animals dwelling there. Low oxygen at the seafloor limited bacterial decay, allowing delicate anatomical details to survive. Many specimens retain articulated skeletons with minimal disturbance. Some fossils even preserve soft tissues. The Wheeler Shale’s Konservat-Lagerstätte conditions provide a detailed record of this Cambrian marine paleoecology.
In 2004 we made an incredible discovery at our trilobite site in Utah. We call it the “Death Flow” specimen. It shows the evidence of a giant avalanche of sediment that swept up everything in its path, much like a river that suddenly flash-floods in the desert. A huge “debris line” was pushed in front of the turbidity flow as it apparently went through a trilobite nursery. Thousands and thousands of trilobites – adults, babies, and juveniles – were caught in the mudslide, smashed and broken up as the flow progressed. When it finally stopped, what was left was the front debris line – several feet in length – consisting of bodies, segments, and parts all piled up and compacted together. This specimen is unlike anything ever seen before. As we prepare this piece there will be some pieces that don’t fit and those we will sell. A few are offered here. Â
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Trilobite (T9)
Notes specific to this specimen:
Super cool and rare! Two nice complete adult Elrathia with a partial between them. But look closely – there’s a complete baby Elrathia on the tail of the right adult! Did baby Elrathia trilobites hang on to the parent for a time?NAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 3″ x 4″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$225.00Trilobite (T9)
$225.00 -
Trilobite (T8)
Notes specific to this specimen:
Nice large Elrathia missing its freecheeks. Professionally prepared using air-abrade.NAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 3″ x 4″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$45.00Trilobite (T8)
$45.00 -
Trilobite (T7)
Notes specific to this specimen:
Four trilobites – Two complete Elrathia rightside up, one smaller upside down, and a small, broken Peronopsis nearbyNAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 4″ x 4″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$85.00Trilobite (T7)
$85.00 -
Trilobite (T6)
Notes specific to this specimen:
Cheek-to-Cheek Two excellent Elrathia professionally prepared using air-abrade.NAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 3″ x 4″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$85.00Trilobite (T6)
$85.00 -
Trilobite (T5)
Notes specific to this specimen:
DEATH FLOW specimen- Here is a very rare and unusual piece showing a complete Elrathia triloibite caught in the midst of the “Death Flow” megaspecimen we uncovered in 2004. You can see the mayhem that accompanied the mudslide- with hundreds of trilibites and trilobite parts both large and small, all mashed together surrounding it. The fact this one is intact and complete indicates the force of the slide was probably dissipating by the time it reached this spot. But it was buried and succumbed nonetheless. Professionally prepared using air-abrade. We found other specimens similar to this but they are already in museums.NAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 3″ x 3″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$425.00Trilobite (T5)
$425.00 -
Trilobite (T4)
Notes specific to this specimen:
Multiple Elrathia sections. Professionally prepared using air-abrade.NAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 2″ x 4″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$45.00Trilobite (T4)
$45.00 -
Trilobite (T3)
Notes specific to this specimen:
Nice large Elrathia missing its freecheeks. Professionally prepared using air-abrade.NAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 2″ x 4″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$45.00Trilobite (T3)
$45.00 -
Trilobite (T2)
Notes specific to this specimen:
Nice complete Elrathia discovered during our diggin out of the “Death Flow” megaspecimen in 2004NAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 2″ x 3″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$55.00Trilobite (T2)
$55.00 -
Trilobite (T1)
Notes specific to this specimen:
DEATH FLOW specimen – Super rare and unusual! – Here are two complete Elrathia triloibites that escaped the full force of the “Death Flow” megaspecimen that we uncovered in 2004. You can see the very edge of the death line at the top – with hundreds of trilibite fragments both large and small all mashed together. Though they escaped the full force, they were caught in the front part of the mudslide and succumbed nonetheless. Professionally prepared using air-abrade. We found other specimens similar to this but they are already in museums.NAME: Elrathia kingii, Peronopsis and various other species
AGE: Cambrian Period, 505 million years
UNIT: Wheeler Shale Formation
SITE: Millard County, WyomingSize: 6″ x 8″
Documentation: This authentic fossil specimen comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and Origin. In addition, an attractive and informative display card accompanies the specimen.
$385.00Trilobite (T1)
$385.00
