Atomic Rat Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 This mortality plate is actually my wife's. It is peronopsis trilobites. She counts 28 on the plate. This is about as good of a picture as I could get for these tiny guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palaeopix Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Those are tiny Agnostids! The full ID should read: Peronopsis interstrictus, middle Cambrian Wheeler Formation, Utah. Thanks for sharing them with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted December 6, 2010 Author Share Posted December 6, 2010 Those are tiny Agnostids! The full ID should read: Peronopsis interstrictus, middle Cambrian Wheeler Formation, Utah. Thanks for sharing them with us. Thank you! I will add that info to my records. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted December 15, 2010 Author Share Posted December 15, 2010 Some xmas came early this year for my trilobite collection: SPINY DICRANURUS TRILOBITE (white marks are quartz, not scratches) Mortality plate showing various species of trilobites: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted December 15, 2010 Author Share Posted December 15, 2010 Spiny Dicranurus Trilobite is also called 'Dicranurus Monstrosus Trilobite'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted December 21, 2010 Author Share Posted December 21, 2010 Trilobite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Some xmas came early this year for my trilobite collection: .... Mortality plate showing various species of trilobites: Now that I've had a chance to spend some time looking at things, I have nagging questions about the mortality plate. I find it convenient that these 7 or 8 critters, of different types, had the common decency to die in arranged manner so as not to clutter each other, or the monstrosus! I think this plate is a nice piece of deco art. It may have some real trilobites. Wife likes the plate so there goes the idea of cutting it up with a saw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palaeopix Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 (edited) Now that I've had a chance to spend some time looking at things, I have nagging questions about the mortality plate. I find it convenient that these 7 or 8 critters, of different types, had the common decency to die in arranged manner so as not to clutter each other, or the monstrosus! I think this plate is a nice piece of deco art. It may have some real trilobites. Wife likes the plate so there goes the idea of cutting it up with a saw. Yeah, it's quite obvious from the photo that it is a composite piece! You are absolutely correct to think it too convenient that so many different species be found on a single plate, without interfering with adjacent specimens! This almost never happens in the real world. Dan Edited January 26, 2011 by palaeopix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Indeed. It seems to me that both the 'mortality plate' (some people use the term 'pizza') and the single Dicranurus are composites: partial authentic trilobites and a lot resin. Most, if not all, people learn this the hard way. Unfortunately. Paleo database, information and community Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 I figured it was a work of art when I saw it at auction. I believe the monstrosus is resin and composites which can be noted in the chipped spine on its head. I am also skeptical of spines that are not cleared of the matrix when everything else is cleared. Keeping the matrix or composite matrix in the spine gives more area to glue spines made of resin. Then some use an excuse that it is to make the specimen cheaper for purchase but personally I think such work cheapens the specimen along with the price. A lot more can be seen under some heavy magnification. Fortunately I did not spend much for this. When I can spend more time on this plate I will try and determine if any of these are real--sometimes real ones are glued into a dugout area. In a way this is neat dissecting something like this. I'll take pictures as I go. Either way, this plate will NOT wind up on the market again, since the ol' lady likes it I can't destroy it, but I won't be selling it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmoceras Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Flexycalimenes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Flexycalimenes! Sweet! Are these from Morocco? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 (edited) Eirathia Kingi, Middle Cambrian, Millard County, Utah, USA. With and without the sides to the head. Kingi mortality plate. This came to me from out of country. Anyone who sees something not labeled correctly, feel free to let me know so I can correct the post. Edited January 28, 2011 by Atomic Rat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Kingi mortality plate. This came to me from out of country. Anyone who sees something not labeled correctly, feel free to let me know so I can correct the post. Hi Atomic Rat, Your superb assemblage of trilobites are not Elrathia kingi. They are from the same group though, Order Ptychopariida. Ellipsocephalus hoffi - Middle Cambrian Jince Formation, Czech Republic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 This is the picture of the large plate of trilobites above, the one with the monstrosus that may be a composite piece. The picture shows evidence of possibly quartz or broken glass and other clays or additions added to the matrix. No, I did NOT pay $275 for this. The owner I bought it from paid that much back in the 1970s, I think he said. He found it in a curio shop. As I stated before, this plate is a good work of art but not a true mortality plate. The 'Kingi' mortality plate is what you want to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Hi Atomic Rat, Your superb assemblage of trilobites are not Elrathia kingi. They are from the same group though, Order Ptychopariida. Ellipsocephalus hoffi - Middle Cambrian Jince Formation, Czech Republic Yes, the mortality plate came from the Czech Republic. I didn't have my paper handy to ID them correctly. The three large ones, in the bottom of the photo just above the mortality plate, came with a certificate that they came from Utah. I was told the others also came from Utah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 I like this one a lot, Flying Cyphaspis from Morocco. He's had some minor repairs but I think he looks fairly nice for a few hundred million years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 My biggest problem in identifying these critters is that one dealer orders them, and they arrive from different countries than where originally found. If I don't pay attention to the import papers, sometimes I get things turned around. For instance, the Flying Cyphaspis, the paper shows it was from Morocco but came to me by way of Portugal. Some days my brain works and some days it takes a holiday and it's anyone's guess what I am doing! I appreciate the help in identifying them. That is why I like this site. Thanks everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palaeopix Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 The individual trilobites are Elrathia kingi! I think what piranha was saying is that the assemblage plate is not and he's correct about that! They are Ellipsocephalus hoffi from the Czeck Republic! Nice assortment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 I appreciate the help in identifying them. That is why I like this site. Thanks everyone. This place is great - I agree 100% Atomic Rat and your great trilobites are very much appreciated Btw! This Cyphaspis sp. that you just posted is particularly nice. The prep work was meticulously performed as evidenced by the fine detail of the tubercles preserved on the glabella (nose). The flying aspect is really presented well by virtue of the nicely sculpted matrix. So much nicer than the scratchy hap-hazard way some of them are finished off. There are many great trilobite reference on the internet for you. One of the better sites is Dr Sam Gon's "Guide to the Order of Trilobites" as well as dozens of others depending on what mood you're in. Thanks again for showing us your collection! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xonenine Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 nice stuff Atomic, how the heck do they ship flying trilos like that? "Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile." Lepidus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted January 29, 2011 Author Share Posted January 29, 2011 nice stuff Atomic, how the heck do they ship flying trilos like that? They use a plastic container with a lid and the trilobite is strapped to the bottom with plastic ties so it doesn't move and then it is packed into styrofoam and bubble wrap and then placed into a box for shipping, which is also packed so to prevent sliding around during shipping. When I get the critter, I leave it in the container so as not to damage the spines from my klutziness. I got arthritis from Hell and cannot hold onto small items without dropping them. I have more trilobites I will be posting pictures of as i can. Trilobites got me hooked this year so I've got a whole collection that I can afford, this includes some bugs with imperfections or minor repairs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kosmoceras Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Sweet! Are these from Morocco? Yes! They too are from Morocco! Have you ever found flexycalimenes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 nice stuff Atomic, how the heck do they ship flying trilos like that? They use a plastic container, like Tuppaware with a lid. They then use plastic ties to tie the specimen to the bottom of the container to keep it in one place without it moving around. And they use packaging material to keep the container in the box from moving around during shipping. They do an excellent job shipping! I was surprised it survived, especially when my wife and son saw the postman toss the box onto our front porch as he went by delivering mail! The way in which the specimen is shipped is an excellent idea and whoever came up with that idea has some smarts! I keep my specimen in the container so the cats or kids don't damage it by knocking it off the shelf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atomic Rat Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Yes! They too are from Morocco! Have you ever found flexycalimenes? Only on ebay. Go to trilobite auction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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