The Undersides of Trilobites

[jno]

Why doesn't anyone seem to prep the undersides of trilobites?

 

We see innumerable examples of the "pretty" carapaces, but I should think the undersides would be at least as instructive.

[Tidgy's Dad]

1 hour ago, jno said:

Why doesn't anyone seem to prep the undersides of trilobites?

 

We see innumerable examples of the "pretty" carapaces, but I should think the undersides would be at least as instructive.

Trilobites don't have a plastron on the underside like a tortoise does. 

It was just soft and usually therefore doesn't preserve, except for the hypostome near the anterior. Which we do see exposed after prep on many specimens. 

Revealing the rest would just mean digging into the interior of the fossil to reveal the reverse of the carapace, which risks breaking the usually thin shell and isn't as "pretty" as the exterior. 

This is the interior of an Elrathia kingii that I prepped. 

Here is the prepped exterior;

Here's Tidgy's plastron. 

What the ? is Daddy doing to me now?

Edited January 6, 2023 by Tidgy's Dad

[Top Trilo]

Exactly what Adam said, it is done but its just the other side of the carapace. You may get to see the hypostome but at the expense of not seeing the eyes or the spines many trilobites had along with not seeing the texture of the dorsal part of the exoskeleton.

Here's an image I found of a ventrally prepped trilobite.

[IsaacTheFossilMan]

Note that from New York, some exquisite trilobites are preserved in pyrite - which allows the soft tissues, including antennae, legs, and eggs!

 

Such trilobites, ventrally prepared, are incredibly useful for palaeobiological research, such as, finding out that, like our favourite crustaceans: isopods, they breathe through their legs!

 

 

 

[Advantage]

stunning 

[hemipristis]

On 1/7/2023 at 6:27 AM, IsaacTheFossilMan said:

Note that from New York, some exquisite trilobites are preserved in pyrite - which allows the soft tissues, including antennae, legs, and eggs!

 

Such trilobites, ventrally prepared, are incredibly useful for palaeobiological research, such as, finding out that, like our favourite crustaceans: isopods, they breathe through their legs!

 

 

Wow!  Superb!