Calymene Trilobite Fossil Morocco – Jebel Tiskouine Region

This Calymene Trilobite Fossil displays a broad, strongly segmented body with a distinctive rounded head and tapered tail. The fossil has warm natural shades of golden tan, brown and reddish tones, with darker areas creating contrast across the individual segments. Its raised, clearly visible body sections give it an impressive three-dimensional appearance and make the ancient anatomy particularly easy to appreciate.

Specimen Details

✓ SPECIMEN: Calymene Trilobite Fossil
✓ SPECIES: Colpocoryphe sp.
✓ AGE: Upper Ordovician, approximately 445 million years old
✓ FORMATION: Ktaoua Group
✓ LOCATION: Jebel Tiskouine, Anti-Atlas Region, Morocco
✓ SIZE: 45mm × 76mm × 25mm
✓ WEIGHT: 86 grams
✓ CONDITION: No repairs

The Story Behind the Fossil

Trilobites were ancient marine arthropods that lived in Earth's oceans for more than 250 million years. They first appeared during the Cambrian Period, around 520 million years ago, and evolved into thousands of different species. Their bodies were divided into three main sections — the head, segmented middle section and tail — and protected by a hard outer skeleton. This distinctive body structure is one of the reasons trilobites are so recognisable and popular with fossil collectors today.

The trilobite represented by this specimen, Colpocoryphe sp., lived during the Upper Ordovician, roughly 445 million years ago. At that time, the area that is now Morocco was part of an ancient marine environment. Trilobites lived on and around the seafloor, where they could crawl, burrow through sediment and search for food. Depending on the species, trilobites could feed on organic material, small organisms and decaying matter, making them an important part of ancient marine ecosystems.

The fossil-bearing rocks around Jebel Tiskouine belong to the Ktaoua Group and preserve evidence of these ancient marine environments. After a trilobite died, its remains could settle on the seafloor and become rapidly buried by sediment. Over immense periods of time, the sediment hardened into rock while the remains became fossilised. Geological uplift and erosion eventually exposed these ancient rocks in the Anti-Atlas Region, allowing fossils to be recovered today. Trilobites survived for hundreds of millions of years before disappearing during the end-Permian mass extinction approximately 252 million years ago.

Add a Piece of Prehistoric History to Your Collection

This Calymene Trilobite Fossil offers a fascinating connection to an ancient ocean that existed hundreds of millions of years ago. Its prominent segmentation and natural earthy colours make it an engaging specimen for a fossil collection, curiosity cabinet, natural history display or as a memorable gift for someone beginning their collecting journey.