Calymene Trilobite Fossil Morocco – Anti-Atlas Region Fossil

This Calymene Trilobite Fossil is a well-preserved specimen with a broad, rounded head and clearly defined segmented body extending towards the tail. The raised segments are particularly prominent through the central and lower sections, giving the fossil a strong three-dimensional form. The specimen also retains areas of the surrounding rock, adding natural geological context to this fascinating piece of ancient marine life.

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: 48mm × 64mm × 23mm
✓ WEIGHT: 65 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. Their distinctive body design allowed them to occupy a wide variety of marine environments, from shallow coastal waters to deeper parts of the ancient seafloor.

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 crawled, burrowed through sediment and searched for food. Their diets varied between species and could include organic material, small organisms and decaying matter. Some trilobites could also enrol their bodies for protection when threatened, bringing their head and tail together to shield their softer underside.

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 buried by layers of sediment. Over immense periods of time, these sediments hardened into rock and the remains became fossilised. Geological uplift and erosion eventually exposed the fossil-bearing rocks of the Anti-Atlas Region, allowing these ancient remains to be recovered today. Trilobites survived through enormous changes in Earth's oceans before finally 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 tangible connection to an ancient ocean that existed hundreds of millions of years ago. Its prominent segmentation and natural preservation make it an engaging addition to a fossil collection, curiosity cabinet or natural history display, and a fascinating gift for anyone beginning their journey into fossil collecting.