British Trilobite Ogyginus Partial Fossil Ordovician Llanvirn Wales Genuine Specimen with Stand

Overview

This genuine British Trilobite (Ogyginus) Partial Fossil originates from the Llanvirn Series of the Ordovician Period, discovered at the Upper Gilwern Quarry, Wales, UK. This fascinating specimen provides a glimpse into life over 460 million years ago, during a time when the seas around ancient Avalonia were teeming with diverse marine creatures. The fossil has been expertly prepared, mounted on a presentation stand, and represents a scientifically significant species from one of Britain’s most productive Ordovician fossil sites.

Your specimen was discovered by our team members Alister and Alison on 02 April 2024, and has been carefully cleaned, prepped, and treated by Alison to reveal and preserve its natural details. The photograph shows the exact piece you will receive, with a 1cm scale cube for reference—please see the photo for full sizing. As with all our fossils, this is a 100% genuine specimen, accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity confirming its provenance.

Geological and Palaeontological Context

The Upper Gilwern Quarry, located in the Welsh Borderlands, exposes strata belonging to the Llanvirn Series of the Ordovician System, dating to approximately 465–460 million years ago. During this period, the region that is now Wales lay close to the southern tropics, submerged beneath warm, shallow seas on the margin of the Avalonian microcontinent.

The Llanvirn deposits are composed primarily of mudstones and fine-grained siltstones laid down in a low-energy marine shelf environment, where sediment accumulated gradually on the seafloor. These conditions were ideal for the preservation of delicate marine organisms such as trilobites, brachiopods, and graptolites. The presence of Ogyginus fossils within this sequence helps palaeontologists correlate British Ordovician rock layers across different regions, as the genus serves as an important biostratigraphic index fossil within the Llanvirn strata.

Taxonomy and Morphology

The genus Ogyginus belongs to the Order Asaphida, Superfamily Asaphoidea, and Family Asaphidae. It was first formally described in the 19th century by pioneering British geologists studying the classical Ordovician localities of Wales. Trilobites of this genus were benthic marine arthropods, living on or just above the sea floor, where they likely fed on organic particles within the sediment.

This partial fossil displays key morphological traits typical of Ogyginus, including a broad, smooth cephalon (head shield), a gently convex glabella (central lobe), and the faint segmentation of the thoracic region. The trilobite’s body plan is divided into three longitudinal lobes—a central axial lobe and two pleural lobes—which give the group its name, meaning “three-lobed.” The shape of Ogyginus suggests it was adapted for crawling or resting on soft mud, using its hard exoskeleton as protection from predators and environmental hazards.

Scientific Significance

Ogyginus trilobites are among the most studied Ordovician fossils in the United Kingdom due to their abundance, distinctive form, and stratigraphic importance. Their occurrence within the Llanvirn Series is used to define specific biozones, aiding geologists in correlating rock layers across different parts of Wales and England. This makes Ogyginus not only a collectible fossil but also a scientifically valuable one.

The Ordovician Period was a time of major evolutionary diversification known as the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE), during which marine ecosystems became increasingly complex. Trilobites like Ogyginus thrived during this interval, representing a key component of early Paleozoic marine faunas. This specimen offers a tangible connection to that evolutionary explosion—an era that shaped the development of modern marine life.

Display and Presentation

This Ogyginus trilobite fossil is mounted on a custom display stand, making it perfect for collectors, educators, or those fascinated by ancient life. The fossil’s subtle contrast against the Ordovician matrix highlights the natural beauty of its preservation, and its partial form reveals exquisite detail in the cephalic and thoracic regions.

Each fossil in our collection is ethically sourced, professionally cleaned, and stabilised to ensure long-term preservation. The accompanying Certificate of Authenticity provides verification of geological age, species identification, and locality.

This exceptional British Trilobite (Ogyginus) Partial Fossil from the Llanvirn Series, Ordovician, Upper Gilwern Quarry, Wales stands as both a beautiful display piece and a scientifically important relic of ancient life—offering a direct and authentic link to Earth’s deep prehistoric oceans.