Fossils of Ancient Trilobites
Trilobites are a well-known fossil group of extinct marine arthropods that appeared in Earth’s ancient oceans before other life had emerged on land. One of the earliest known groups of arthropods, trilobites have been found in fossils dating back to the Early Cambrian period, over 520 million years ago. Trilobites finally disappeared from the fossil record at the end of the Permian, nearly 250 million years ago.
Trilobites existed on Earth for over 270 million years and were among the most successful of all early invertebrates radiating into more than 20,000 species. Trilobites widely dispersed geographically and occupied many different ecological niches in the prehistoric seas. From their many fossilized exoskeletons left in the fossil record scientists have discover trilobite predators, scavengers and filter feeders. The study of trilobites fossils has facilitated many important contributions to paleontology, evolutionary biology, biostratigraphy and plate tectonics.
Fossil World 