Elrathia: Older than the trees
Believe it or not, this Trilobite is one of the oldest fossils we have! Elrathia is a small, smooth-looking trilobite that lived during the Middle Cambrian, around 505 million years ago. One of its most famous species, Elrathia kingii, is particularly well known from the Wheeler Formation in Utah, USA, where huge numbers of beautifully preserved specimens have been found. Most specimens are only a few centimetres long, making Elrathia a relatively small member of the trilobite family.
It has the classic trilobite shape, with a rounded head, a series of clearly defined body segments and a rounded tail section. Compared with some of the more heavily ornamented trilobites, Elrathia has a much smoother appearance, without large spines sticking out from its body. Its simple, wide, streamlined shape is part of what makes it so recognisable.
The Wheeler Formation has produced thousands of Elrathia fossils, making it one of the best-known trilobites from the Cambrian rocks of North America. Seeing so many specimens together gives palaeontologists an incredible look at how these animals changed as they grew, and gives us a snapshot of what life looked like in the ancient Cambrian seas.
Comments