Serendipitous Museum Lichid Trilobites Pair

Description: The location known as Jorf in Morocco has been a hotbed of new trilobite species for the past few years. Two years ago the first example of this unusual Lichid was shown to the collecting community. Very few examples have come to light since then, and few are of the quality of this fine example. This specimen displays the stunning genal, pleural, and pygidial spines nicely arrayed. While some have indicated it might be a relative of Belenopyge, to my eyes it seems to have its closest affinities with the larger, more robust genus Acanthopyge.

For the sake of expediency I will refer to it as Aff Acanthopyge. What is unusual here is that not one but TWO examples were found together. In the course of preparing the larger specimen it was found that to overlie a second somewhat smaller example. As is sometimes the case, the edge of the entombing matrix was lost in collection in the field, leaving the tips of some spines missing. Rather than restoring those spines it was kept entirely natural. I have included two in-preparation photos of the trilobites prior to final finishing as well as a photo of the Jorf site from which many new types of trilobites are being found.

Also see: Specimen with single trilobite.