Ampyxina bellatula-Missouri 05

Taxa: Ampyxina bellatula

Geology: Maquoketa formation

Age: Ordovician

Locality: Bowling Green, Missouri

This specimen has two complete trilobites, as well as a partial. No repairs or restorations.

Trilobites

Trilobites are an extinct group of marine arthropods that lived from the Early Cambrian to the end of the Permian period, approximately 521 to 252 million years ago. They are characterized by their three-lobed, three-segmented body structure, consisting of a cephalon (head), thorax (body), and pygidium (tail). Trilobites had a hard exoskeleton, which they periodically molted as they grew. They exhibit a wide range of sizes, shapes, and ecological adaptations, reflecting their diverse habitats in ancient marine environments.