Harpes hamarlaghdadensis Trilobite

Description: Colorful example of a member of the Order Harpetida, Family Harpetidae with many fine details present. It comes from a new location known as Jorf in Morocco, close to the site from which the polished goniatite ammonites originate. The preservation of the exoskeleton takes its rich color from minerals in the water that perfused it post deposition. It is quite pleasing to the eye, and is nearly prone. While it most closely resembles Harpes perradiatus in appearance, a taxon from HmarLaghdad has been recently described as Harpes hamarlaghdadensis. While Hmar Laghdad is known to be latest Emsian, the material from Jorf is currently thought to be the somewhat younger Eifelian. I have been assured by a well-kown west coast collector that both are the same species.

Reference: N Jb Geol Paleont, Abb 290 1/3 (2018) pp 257-259.