Name:
Elrathia kingi Age: Middle Cambrian Formation: Wheeler Formation Location: Millard County, Utah Size: Trilobite is 1.1 inches long This specimen is not for sale Click here for similar specimens that are for sale
This is a trilobite with an interesting story to tell. It is an Elrathia kingi from the Cambrian of Utah. The trilobite exhibits excellent detail and is wonderfully articulated - both free cheeks are present and tightly attached. Now comes the story - the right side of the trilobite exhibits a large, clearly defined bite mark! The predator was probably an Anomalocaris, the T. rex of the Cambrian seas. Did this bite cause the trilobite to die? We will never know for sure. However, the bite mark appears to have healed prior to fossilization, so maybe our favorite critter survived the attack. The trilobite has beautiful color and contrast and is extremely well centered on the natural plate of matrix. This is an excellent (and highly unusual) example of predation amongst organisms of the Cambrian Sea.