Trilobites

Trilobites are one of the most famous and distinctive fossil groups.

They first appeared in the Late Cambrian, nearly 500 million years ago, making them one of the earliest known complex lifeforms. Now extinct, they last roamed the Earth more than 250 million years ago.

The small collection you see here are from the Silurian period, making them about 425 million years old.

Trilobites were arthropods, the same as insects, spiders and crustaceans.
They were marine creatures, generally ranging from a few millimetres to 10 centimetres in length. However a few species reached as much as 1 metre.
Most spent their lives scuttling around the sea bed, scavenging organic material from the sediment.

Trilobites had remarkable eyes. They would have had excellent sight, some possessing a 360 degree field of vision.