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Enrolled Phacops Trilobite Fossil – Devonian Period – Genuine Moroccan Specimen – With Certificate
Enrolled Phacops Trilobite Fossil – Devonian Period – Genuine Moroccan Specimen – With Certificate - Image 2

Enrolled Phacops Trilobite Fossil – Devonian Period – Genuine Moroccan Specimen – With Certificate

£9.00

Enrolled Phacops Trilobite Fossil – Devonian: Morocco

This listing features a beautifully enrolled Phacops trilobite fossil from the Devonian deposits of Morocco. Known for its detailed preservation and iconic compound eyes, Phacops is a favourite among both collectors and educators due to its distinctive appearance and evolutionary importance.

Taxonomic Classification:

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Trilobita
  • Order: Phacopida
  • Superfamily: Phacopoidea
  • Family: Phacopidae
  • Genus: Phacops
  • Common Moroccan species: Phacops rana, Phacops latifrons (species may vary without formal identification)

Geological Context:

  • Period: Devonian (~393 to 383 million years ago)
  • Epoch: Middle Devonian
  • Stage: Eifelian–Givetian
  • Formation: Typically from the fossil-rich limestone layers of the Anti-Atlas Mountains
  • Location: Near Alnif or Erfoud, southeastern Morocco
  • Depositional Environment: Marine carbonate platform—warm shallow seas rich in benthic invertebrate life
  • Biozone: Likely within the Polygnathus costatus partitus or Tortodus kockelianus conodont biozones (common in Moroccan trilobite layers)

Morphological Features:

  • Fully enrolled defensive posture – a classic preservation form in Phacops
  • Robust, rounded cephalon with pronounced glabella
  • Excellent preservation of large schizochroal compound eyes – a hallmark of the genus
  • Segmented thorax with 11 articulating segments
  • Compact pygidium with well-defined axial lobes
  • The fossil displays remarkable detail and texture, preserved in dark brown/black calcite on a natural limestone matrix

Scientific and Educational Value:

Phacops trilobites are widely studied for their advanced visual structures and moulting behaviour. The enrolled posture shown in this specimen reflects a defensive adaptation during life—possibly in response to environmental stress or predators. Their presence helps palaeontologists date sedimentary layers and understand the evolution of early arthropods in reef and shelf ecosystems.

Specimen Information:

  • 100% Genuine Specimen
  • Not a cast or replica
  • From legally collected Devonian beds in Morocco
  • Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity
  • Scale cube = 1cm – see photo for full size details
  • This is the actual specimen you will receive – hand-selected for display quality
  • Ideal for collectors, students, or anyone fascinated by the deep history of life

Provenance & Preparation:

The specimen comes from professional excavations in the Devonian formations of the Anti-Atlas region, Morocco—world-renowned for yielding some of the most beautifully preserved trilobites on Earth. It has been carefully cleaned and prepped using air tools to highlight the natural enrolment and fine anatomical details without damage.

(Actual as seen)

Only 1 left in stock

SKU: SF0345 Category:

Description

Enrolled Phacops Trilobite Fossil – Devonian: Morocco

This listing features a beautifully enrolled Phacops trilobite fossil from the Devonian deposits of Morocco. Known for its detailed preservation and iconic compound eyes, Phacops is a favourite among both collectors and educators due to its distinctive appearance and evolutionary importance.

Taxonomic Classification:

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Trilobita
  • Order: Phacopida
  • Superfamily: Phacopoidea
  • Family: Phacopidae
  • Genus: Phacops
  • Common Moroccan species: Phacops rana, Phacops latifrons (species may vary without formal identification)

Geological Context:

  • Period: Devonian (~393 to 383 million years ago)
  • Epoch: Middle Devonian
  • Stage: Eifelian–Givetian
  • Formation: Typically from the fossil-rich limestone layers of the Anti-Atlas Mountains
  • Location: Near Alnif or Erfoud, southeastern Morocco
  • Depositional Environment: Marine carbonate platform—warm shallow seas rich in benthic invertebrate life
  • Biozone: Likely within the Polygnathus costatus partitus or Tortodus kockelianus conodont biozones (common in Moroccan trilobite layers)

Morphological Features:

  • Fully enrolled defensive posture – a classic preservation form in Phacops
  • Robust, rounded cephalon with pronounced glabella
  • Excellent preservation of large schizochroal compound eyes – a hallmark of the genus
  • Segmented thorax with 11 articulating segments
  • Compact pygidium with well-defined axial lobes
  • The fossil displays remarkable detail and texture, preserved in dark brown/black calcite on a natural limestone matrix

Scientific and Educational Value:

Phacops trilobites are widely studied for their advanced visual structures and moulting behaviour. The enrolled posture shown in this specimen reflects a defensive adaptation during life—possibly in response to environmental stress or predators. Their presence helps palaeontologists date sedimentary layers and understand the evolution of early arthropods in reef and shelf ecosystems.

Specimen Information:

  • 100% Genuine Specimen
  • Not a cast or replica
  • From legally collected Devonian beds in Morocco
  • Comes with a Certificate of Authenticity
  • Scale cube = 1cm – see photo for full size details
  • This is the actual specimen you will receive – hand-selected for display quality
  • Ideal for collectors, students, or anyone fascinated by the deep history of life

Provenance & Preparation:

The specimen comes from professional excavations in the Devonian formations of the Anti-Atlas region, Morocco—world-renowned for yielding some of the most beautifully preserved trilobites on Earth. It has been carefully cleaned and prepped using air tools to highlight the natural enrolment and fine anatomical details without damage.

Additional information

Era

Devonian
Origin

Morocco

Devonian Information

The Devonian Period (419–359 million years ago), known as the "Age of Fishes," was a time of major evolutionary advances in both marine and terrestrial life. The oceans were dominated by armored placoderm fish, early sharks, and lobe-finned fish like Tiktaalik, which had features that helped vertebrates transition to land. Coral reefs flourished, and ammonites became more diverse. On land, the first forests appeared, with early trees like Archaeopteris, leading to a drop in atmospheric carbon dioxide and climate cooling. The first tetrapods (four-legged vertebrates) began evolving from fish, marking a critical step in the evolution of amphibians. The period ended with the Devonian extinction, likely caused by ocean anoxia and climate shifts, wiping out many marine species and reshaping ecosystems.

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