3" Morocconites Trilobite - Free-Standing Display

Here is one of the more unusual species of trilobites, a Morocconites malladoides from the Devonian of Morocco. It's a member of the Phacopida trilobites and has a very defining feature, a long pointed rostrum (snout) coming off of it's head. It's unclear what purpose this rostrum would have served, but it could have potentially been used to help it dig through the mud.

This specimen is good sized, and would be over 3" long if the tail wasn't tucked. It's been nicely prepared and the limestone around it has been removed, so it flied above the rock on a free-standing pedestal. This type of preparation requires many extra hours of work. The shell detail is nice and the eye facets are clearly visible.