Another important discovery in Morocco. International researchers have discovered two new species of trilobites. These are the best-preserved trilobite fossils ever discovered, displaying previously unseen anatomical details despite the millions of trilobites collected and studied over the past two centuries. “These fossil arthropods found petrified in their last posture are representatives of an ecosystem 515 million years old (Ma), a marine “Pompeii”, discovered in levels of volcanic ash, in Aït Youb, in the region of Souss-Massa in Morocco,” says Professor Abderrazak El Albani, co-author of the study in an article published on The ConversationHe was keen to point out that with more than 22,000 species discovered, trilobites are probably the best-known fossil invertebrates.
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“As a scientist who has worked with fossils of different ages and locations, discovering fossils in such a remarkable state of preservation in a volcanic environment was a deeply exhilarating experience for me,” the academic said, adding that “pyroclastic deposits should become new targets of study, given their exceptional potential to trap and preserve biological remains, including delicate soft tissues.” The geologist added: “These results should lead to significant discoveries about the evolution of life on our planet Earth.”
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Greg Edgecombe, curator at the National Museum of Natural History in London, specialist in arthropods and co-author of the study, is marked by this discovery: “I have been studying trilobites for almost 40 years, but I have never felt like I was looking at living animals like I did with these. I’ve seen a lot of trilobite soft anatomy, but it’s the 3D preservation here that’s truly stunning. » And added: “An unexpected result of our work is the discovery that volcanic ash in shallow marine environments could constitute a boon for exceptional preservation of fossils. » The study was published on the cover of the American magazine, Science.
