Walliserops (New Type) With Koneprusia

This is a cool association of two rare (one very rare) trilobites from Foum Zguid, Morocco. The "Trident" Walliserops is a new variation and only the third I've seen of the type. It's 3.2" in length, and like the majority of Walliserops specimens the fork was found with broken prongs, but the decision was made not to restore or composite it.

Right next to the Walliserops is a large specimen of Koneprusia dahmani which is prepared so that it rests on a pedestal of matrix. Both specimens are well prepared and very detailed without any restoration.

There are currently three species of Walliserops described from the same layer of the Timrhanrhart Formation. The long forked Walliserops trifurcatus, a short forked Walliserops hammi and then another one with a odd shaped fork, Walliserops tridens. There is some speculation these may not in fact be distinct species but rather represent sexual dimorphism or variations within a single species. This specimen though has features of both Walliserops trifurcatus and Walliserops hammi. The is more reminiscent of Walliserops hammi only is about twice the size, but the fork is more like that of Walliserops trifurcatus, only shorter.