Trilobite Eldredgeops rana displays specific event at the end of its life or shortly thereafter

[Biotalker]

Here is a E. rana fossil I found at Penn Dixie the year after I started collected fossils in 2015. It shows clear evidence of having been partly crushed by a horn coral on pleurites 5 through 10 only on the right side. The curvature of the thorax elements support this interpretation as well as demonstrate remarkable flexibility. This is a specific event that must have taken place shortly before, during or after the demise of the trilobite, while it was still malleable to be so contorted. Pardon the poor prep, I used a sewing pin in a pin-vise to clear away matrix. All images are the same specimen.

Some suggest (not only conspiracy theorists) that this may depict - dare I say- a Devonian murder scene caught in the act! (this is where you chuckle). Pretty cool. What do you think?

[Tidgy's Dad]

I don't think horn corals are very likely to attack or 'murder' trilobites. 

I think that during preservation, the horn coral may have been squashed into the underlying and very dead trilobite during compression of the rock layers.  

[Biotalker]

30 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

I don't think horn corals are very likely to attack or 'murder' trilobites. 

I think that during preservation, the horn coral may have been squashed into the underlying and very dead trilobite during compression of the rock layers.  

Indeed. Of course not. My comment wasn't meant to be serious or likely. It was a fun poke to the necessarily speculative nature of this wonderful science. 

[minnbuckeye]

14 minutes ago, Biotalker said:

My comment wasn't meant to be serious or likely

Nor is mine:

 How about an underseas extraterrestrial using the horn coral as a way of cracking open the trilobite to gain access to the meat. No lobster crackers existed back then. This is the only "logical" reason for the way the trilobite is presented.

 By the way, great trilobite!!!

[Mediospirifer]

Nice trilobite!

 

Someone once told me (or I read it somewhere on TFF) that trilobites found in the prone position are (at least usually) molted shells rather than the dead remains. So (at the risk of being a killjoy), no meat in that shell, sorry. It's fun to play with the concept, though!

 

[Biotalker]

2 hours ago, Mediospirifer said:

Nice trilobite!

 

Someone once told me (or I read it somewhere on TFF) that trilobites found in the prone position are (at least usually) molted shells rather than the dead remains. So (at the risk of being a killjoy), no meat in that shell, sorry. It's fun to play with the concept, though!

 

Medio, That is an interesting question. What would be the evidence to distinguish between a prone molt and the prone meaty critter? There are plenty of trilobites broken along presumed molting seams to suggest molting. But if the trilobite looks intact, I don't see a way to distinguish between molt and meaty. Does anyone know more about this?

[Randyw]

I could be wrong and I’m sure someone will correct me if I am. Trilobites had several molting methods depending on shape etc. some split along sutures so you find pieces. Some split along the front edge like modern horseshoe crabs. And the trilobite crawls out the front. Yours actually looks like a molt to me.