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UT San Antonio-led research team discovers compound in 500-million-year-old fossils, shedding new light on Earth’s carbon cycle

A UT San Antonio-led research team identified chitin in trilobite fossils over 500 million years old, offering new insights into fossil preservation and the long-term carbon cycle. This discovery has significant implications for understanding how organic carbon is stored in Earth's crust over geologic time.

Prehistoric Pompeii discovered: Most pristine trilobite fossils ever found shake up scientific understanding of the long extinct group

Researchers have discovered exceptionally preserved trilobite fossils, over 500 million years old, that provide detailed information about the anatomy and behavior of these ancient creatures. The findings, published in Science, reveal new insights into the evolution of life on Earth.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalScience·TypeObservational study·DateJun 27, 2024

Unveiling ancient secrets: 3D preservation of trilobite soft tissues sheds light on convergent evolution of defensive enrollment

A new study has shed light on the convergent evolution of defensive enrollment in arthropods by analyzing 3D-preserved trilobite soft tissues. The fossils, which date back to the Ordovician Period, show that trilobites used a unique mechanism to protect their vulnerable soft tissues with their hard exoskeletons.

SourceHarvard University, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·DateDec 20, 2023

New eyes discovered in trilobites

Scientists uncover evidence of median eyes in trilobites, which were previously unknown due to fossilization process. The discovery sheds light on the evolutionary history of arthropods and provides a new tool for classifying species.

SourceUniversity of Cologne·JournalScientific Reports·TypeObservational study·DateMar 20, 2023

Clasper appendages discovered in mid-Cambrian trilobite show horseshoe crab-like mating behavior

Researchers discovered fossilized trilobite appendages exhibiting characteristics similar to those found in male horseshoe crabs. These findings suggest a unique mating strategy, where males use the appendages to grasp females during reproduction, providing insight into the reproductive behavior of ancient complex animals.

Primordial ‘hyper-eye’ discovered

A team of researchers has found a 390-million-year-old hyper-facet eye system in trilobites that is unique to the animal kingdom. The discovery suggests that this ancient eye may have been an adaptation for life in low light conditions, and could provide insights into the evolution of visual systems.

SourceUniversity of Cologne·JournalScientific Reports·TypeObservational study·DateSep 30, 2021

Collective behavior 480 million years ago

Researchers studied fossilized Moroccan Ampyx trilobites and found evidence of orderly lines during storms, suggesting ancient group behavior. This discovery implies that group behavior may have conferred an evolutionary advantage on early animals, allowing them to survive environmental stress.

SourceCNRS·JournalScientific Reports·DateOct 17, 2019

Compound eyes a continuous feature of evolution

Researchers discovered the structure and functioning of a half-billion-year-old fossil trilobite's compound eye, showing similarities with modern compound eyes. The ancient eye consists of 100 subunits with eight sensory cells each, but lacks a lens, suggesting its development may have predated modern forms.

SourceUniversity of Cologne·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 6, 2017

Trilobite eggs in New York

Researchers have discovered the first occurrence of in situ preserved trilobite eggs from the Lorraine Group in upstate New York. The eggs are spherical to elliptical in shape and nearly 200 micrometers in size, providing valuable insights into the reproductive biology of ancient arthropods.

SourceGeological Society of America·JournalGeology·DateFeb 23, 2017