1.30" Elrathia Trilobite with Bite Mark

This is a very cool specimen of the well known trilobite Elrathia kingii. It has a bite mark taken out the right hand side of the specimen. Bite marks have been well documented in trilobites from the Wheeler Shale but there is some debate about what bit them. The popular notion is the was the likely predator but recent studies suggest it's mouthparts were unlikely to be able to inflict such injuries.

Interestingly studies have found that most bite marks on trilobites occur on the right hand side (as this one is) One possible explanation of this that there was something similar to being right handed or left handed with predators or prey causing them to more frequently attack or evade from one side. Another explanation might be that vital organs of trilobites were on one side vs the other causing more of them to survive attacks from one side.