Ceratarges
aff aries
Trilobites
Order Lichida, Family Lichidae
Geological
Time: Middle Devonian, Eifellian Stage
Size: Ceratarges
trilobite is 80 mm long (curve measure) by 50 mm wide and 50 mm long by
40 mm wide (including spines) on a 145 mm by 75 mm matrix
Fossil Site:
El Otfal Formation, Ser Drare, Morocco
Fossil Code:
18116
Price: $1995.00
 Description:
The spiny trilobite is a member of the Order Lichida, Family Lichidae
from the Devonian deposits of Ser Drare, Morocco known as a member
of the genus Ceratarges. This one is most like Ceratarges aries
which was assigned a species name a few years ago the source of
which is derived from the fact that the spines of the head are reminiscent
of a ram. That one is the rarest of the three newly-described Ceratarges.
Indeed, it only represented some 5 percent of the specimens found
at the type locality. I  showed
photos of this specimen to one of the researchers who described
the species to ask if he knew of any like this one. He reported
that he had not, and that if he did not see the in-preparation photos
he would have suspected the authenticity of the secondary vertical
pleural spines. The in-preparation photos attest to the fact that
not only are the spines authentic, but that this is a natural double,
not a composite. Many of the dramatic spines have been prepared
freestanding. It is an excellent example of the taxon with numerous
bizarre features. Even the hypostome is preserved on the smaller
example. In all likelihood this is a yet to be described species
whose strongest affinities are with Ceratarges aries.
See
my other offerings for yet other members of the genus, Ceratarges
ziregensis and Ceratrges
koumalii.
Reference:
Geologica Belgica (2011) 14, 3/4, pp 193-202
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