Pristine Cryptolithus bellulus Trilobite from Swatara Gap

Description: This is by far the finest example of this classic trilobite species to ever come across my desk. It is just about perfectly preserved and flawless. The glabella is fully inflated and the overall appearance is fully 3D. The detail of the cephalic pits, (fenestrae) which were used for filtering detritus, are impeccably preserved. Note the long genals, both entirely present.

Swatara Gap is famous for the ornate Cryptolithus and starfish fossils found for decades at this much beloved site. Unfortunately, it has been closed to collecting for a few years now. This specimen came from an old collection, acquired by a well-known collector who worked the local Swatara Gap, Martinsburg Formation, and Lancaster area, Kinzer Formation for decades.