Russian Trilobites Association Niobe schmidti & Megistaspis triangularis

Description: Here is an Asaphid trilobite that few collectors have heard of, much less seen. Coming from the Lower Ordovician Wolchovian Level deposits of the Wolchow River region near Saint Petersburg, Russia, this is an example of the trilobite known until a few decades ago as Niobe frontalis (now Niobe schmidti). It is betrayed as such by the fine terrace lines on the axial lobe, the only one from the region to be so adorned. The associated cephalon is from another example of an ancient member of the Asaphidae: Megistaspis triangularis. It is easy to see the derivation of the species name from the triangular, fusiform shape of this particular example of the genus. Rounding out this fine example of seafloor from nearly a half billion years ago are a number of shells of Brachiopods, making for a wonderful association piece.