Asaphus Punctatus Prepared Free Of Rock

Now here is a cool trilobite. It's a very 3D Asaphus punctatus which has been prepared so that there is no matrix surrounding it. It would look like it's swimming on your desk. There is matrix underneath it to support the shell but the hypostome or mouth plate has been exposed.

The trilobite is 2.8 inches long had has a beautiful brown shell. Like nearly all Russian asaphus trilobites there is some shell restoration but it is pretty limited. There is restoration near the base of both eye stalks and on the last axial ring, probably about 3-5% of the total shell.