The good and the bad of Moroccan Trilobites

I have two specimens of the Trilobite species Hollardops mesocristata from the Devonian of Morocco. The first I purchased many years ago without much knowledge of the processes involved in extracting and preparing the fossils.

As you can see it is very rough

Portions are obviously reworked rock that have been purposely colored to look like it was part of the Trilobite.

Especially on the left side of the Cephalon

While the right side is a bit better looking.

The Pygiduim is an atrocious mess

Then recently I was able to trade with my friend Jenaro over in Spain and he sent me the specimen below. It is a much better quality specimen and I'm very pleased to have it in my collection.

The left side of the Cephalon and eye are intact with some minor restoration

As is the right side. Note the thin cracks in the rock that show it's been glued back together. Since the way these fossils are found is by smashing apart rocks, some restoration is to be expected.

The position of the fossil is somewhat dynamic looking a little like a predator that is hidden just beneath the sediment surface.

The pygidium is much nicer as well with only minor restoration marks seen

My thanks to Jenaro for sending me this wonderful specimen! The second specimen comes from the AM Limestone at Mount Issoumour near Alnif, Morocco. Both fossils are from the Devonian but I can't find any information to help narrow down what stage they lived in.