This is a relatively large Nevada trilobite of the species Olenellus gilberti.
If fully prone, the trilobite would be about 70 mm long. The embedding initially suggests an exuvia (molting skin).The hypostome is imprinted from below at the cephalon. And this is not compatible with a moulting scenario on Olenellid Trilobites. Some Pleural segments are broken and further injuries can be seen in the head shield in the area of the left eye lobe. The shell seems to have been partially penetrated or punctured here. This trilobite was probably a victim of a predator like Anomalocaris. From the Pioche Formation of Nevada has Anomalocaris also been reported. This piece is an interesting example of Olenellus gilberti with suspected Anomalocaris bite marks.
Anomalocaris is always the usual suspect for trilobite predation in the Cambrian. |
