Rare Russian trilobite Cybele panderi

Description: Coming from the Middle Ordovician Asery Level deposits of the Wolchow River region near Saint Petersburg, Russia, this is an example of the dramatic trilobite Cybele panderi. The taxon is defined by the three cephalic projections, distinguishing it from Cybele bellatula which it strongly resembles. The well-known student of trilobites Riccard Levi-Setti referred to trilobites as the butterflies of the sea, an appropriate apellation for such a dramatic example. The trilobite itself is 1.4 inches long from the tips of the delicate eyestalks to the ends of the pleural spines and 0.9 inches wide at the freestanding genal spines. Its deep caramel-colored Calcite shell is well set off by the white limestone matrix. As always, the skillful Russian preparators have shown this fine prone specimen to best advantage, well-centered on its 4.5 inch by 1.4 inch matrix which has another flattened edge for an alternate display mode (I prefer this pose, myself). This is a fine example of a taxon very rarely available at such a reasonable cost.

Also see: Russian Trilobites