Cyclopyge sp
Trilobite Order Asaphida, Family Cyclopygidae
Geological Time: Lower Ordovician
Size: (25.4 mm = 1 inch): Trilobite is 22 mm (curve measure) by 7 mm on a 60 mm by 55 mm matrix
Fossil Site: El Kaid Errami, Morocco
Code: 12023
Price: Sold
 Description:
This is a fine example of an Ordovician Moroccan trilobite known
as Cyclopyge. Notice the placement of the enormous eyes at the
side of the cephalon. The trilobite is thought to have been mesopelagic,
meaning that it lived in the depths of some 200 meters. They slowly
moved along filtering plankton. They lived in the dim twilight
zone, and so needed large eyes to gather in light. Studies have
shown their eyes to be similar to those of modern insects and crustaceans
that live in dim light. Notice that some facets are still preserved
in the left eye. Interestingly, some of these deep-water pelagic
tributes possessed square rather than hexagonal lenses for reasons
as yet unknown. |
