Supremely Rare Cornuproetus Trilobite with Pyritized Soft Tissue

Description: With only about a half dozen localities known, trilobites with soft tissue preservation are rare. A well-known site in the United States is Beecher’s Trilobite bed where examples of Triarthrus, Cryptolithus, and Cornuproetus are known. In 2005 a new location in Lewis County was discovered which will take its place in this select group as a site containing Triarthrus eatoni with preserved appendages. These trilobites were buried rapidly, resulting in an anxonic environment which allowed for infilling with fine-grained pyretic deposits that preserved the details seen here. The rich gold color is a striking contrast to the deep black matrix, making for a dramatic specimen available in very limited quantities. This fine example is preserved in ventral mode with walking legs and biramous appendages in evidence, along with a fine pair of antennae. The legspan is far greater than what researchers had expected; indeed, they had thought the limbs would just cover the span of the thorax. This taxon is far, far more rare than the exceptional Triarthrus that come from the quarry, and represents the first I have ever been able to offer.