.5" Red Cyphaspides Trilobite - Hmar Laghdad, Morocco

This is a unusual, red Cyphaspides trilobite from Hmar Laghdad, Morocco. The shell preservation is a deep red coloration which is very unique to the location. Most Cyphaspides come from around Jorf and this is the first red one I've seen from this locality. It's a tiny bugger at 1/2" long but nicely detailed with stalk eyes.

Trilobites are very tough to find complete at the site that produces these red specimens. The red coloration is due to high levels of iron in the silicified exoskeleton. A paper on this unique preservation can be found below.

Red Devonian trilobites with green eyes from Morocco
and the silicification of the trilobite exoskeleton