Sunday, June 7, 2015

Mrakibina cattoi trilobite from Morocco

This cool looking trilobite is Mrakibina cattoi from the El Oftal formation Jebel Mrakib, Ma'der, Alnif, Morocco. It resembles a Greenops sp. trilobite, due to the smooth cephalon thet extends into the genal spines and the feathery looking pygidium. It's the long genal spines that set it apart though as they reach down to the pygidium whereas in Greenops they only extend a short way down the thorax.








This is an authentic trilobite specimen with minimal restoration. You can see some tool marks on the Glabella and other parts of the exoskeleton. The eyes are not as detailed as in some specimens and this could be due to preservation or preparation. What is nice is that the fossil is not perfectly symmetrical and yet does not deviate from the type too much. The pygidium and part of the thorax are slightly lower than the rest of the exoskeleton. To me this gives it a more organic look with some movement.

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