Museum Onnia Moroccan Trilobite

Description: This fine plaque houses a fine example of a trilobite of the species Onnia . In all likelihood it is unnamed. In the past trilobites from Morocco were taken to Europe where they often were assigned names of local species. For the sake of argument let us call this Onnia sp. until such trilobites can be sorted out.. These are quite a bit larger than the ones from Blekos typically called Onnia superba. There are many fine details evident such as the pitted cephalic ring by which the trilobites fed. They presumably swam along just above the seafloor, using their legs to kick up suspended matter into their filter chamber with the water existing dorsally through the fenestrae (pits, Latin for windows). This one has been prepared entirely free of matrix except for the thin pedestal which suspends it in space. With the advent of a reliable source of electricity in Morocco, the quality of preparation has improved dramatically over the past few years. While I used to refer to trilobites prepared in a mode similar to this as flying, I feel a new term is warranted by the preparation now coming into vogue. This specimen is truly stunning when viewed from any aspect, and is destined to become the cornerstone of any collection, public or private. It is the FIRST and ONLY example of this large Onnia species which I have seen prepared in this freestanding mode.