Extremely Rare, 2.3" Lanceaspis - Top Quality Preparation

This is an extremely rare type of Phacopida trilobite, Lanceaspis hammondi. The location it comes from was collected out after only a single digging season about five years ago. Only a very small number of specimens were recovered, and this one remained unprepared until recently. At 2.3" long (if outstretched) which is quite large for the species and the preparation is phenominal. Just check out the eye facets.

The most defining feature of Lanceaspis is an extremely elongated rostrum (nose) which represents nearly 40% of the overall body length. It seems to be related in some way to Morocconites but the rostrum is much longer. There species was described as a new genus and species, Lanceaspis hammondi