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Hello, I am very interested in collecting trilobites and so far I nearly have one from every order (except Agnostia and a questionable Redlichiid), but though I feel I am fairly knowledgable on them overall, I am embarrassed I cannot tell the difference between species such as Phacops, Reedops, Adrisiops, Drotops, Morocops, Austerops, and Chotecops. Species like Hollarops or Morocconites are easy to tell because they have the spines or spikes though their body looks very similar. Usually when I buy trilobites they are labelled but the ones I have gotten as gifts or from rock shops are generally unlabelled. Some are easy to tell due to context (Chotecops are generally preserved in pyrite, Drotops generally being huge,) but Phacops and Reedops?! To me, they look identical, and I've heard the best way to see is counting eye facets, but several of mine have only poorly preserved or partial eyes. I also recently acquired a pair of labelled Adrisiops and I heard that they are referred to as a 'smiley Phacops' but I am not sure where that comes from. I also think the Proetid Gerastos looks quite superficially similar to all of these species, especially when poorly preserved, but I think I can tell that one apart due to it's smaller eyes and different glabella. On top of that, I am very concerned I have some fakes from the time when I was younger and did not know very much about looking for casts or composites and those can have all kinds of crazy things going on that are not in 'real' trilobites. I will try to factor out the suspicious trilobites when comparing my collection. Are there any other context clues or morphology I can look for on these similar species? Comparison photos would be nice to see the visual differences if there are any! Thank you to anyone who helps!

After a two year hiatus a fifth trilobite has recently been named in my honor. This time the Great German Trilobitologist: Ulrich Flick has bestowed Chotecops morrisoni upon yours truly. The holotype for C. morrisoni was discovered in the Devonian (lower Eifelian) Günterod Limestone of Günterod, Germany. In 1971 Professor Ivo Chlupáč established the new taxon Chotecops named for the type locality of the Chotec Limestone of the Czech Republic. Most fossil aficionados are familiar with Chotecops ferdinandi originating from the roofing tiles of the Hunsrück Slate: a classic trilobite that evokes images of golden pyritized specimens that collectively have preserved a complete record of their antennae and post-antennal limbs. I'm absolutely delighted to share this special 'high five' moment of this phenomenal new member of the Phacopinae with you all! Flick, U. 2021 Taxa der Phacopinae HAWLE & CORDA, 1847 (Trilobita) aus dem Grenzbereich Emsium/Eifelium sowie Unter-Eifelium Unter-/Mitteldevon) der Bicken-Ense-Decke (Rheinisches Schiefergebirge). [Taxa of the Phacopinae HAWLE & CORDA, 1847 (Trilobita) from the Emsian/Eifelian and Lower Eifelian Lower/Middle Devonian Boundary Area) of the Bicken-Ense-Decke (Rhenish Massif).] Geologisches Jahrbuch Hessen, 140:73-100 Chlupáč, I. 1971 New Phacopid Trilobites from the Devonian of Czechoslovakia. [Noví Phacopidní Trilobiti z Československého Devonu. (Czech summary)] Časopis pro Mineralogii a Geologii, 16(3):255-261