In a surprising twist, a “marine Pompeii” discovered in Morocco reveals trilobites petrified in volcanic ash. A find that made the front page of the prestigious American journal “Science”.
Morocco, already famous for its unique charm and natural wealth, sees these attributes confirmed by a remarkable discovery. In Aït Youb, in the Souss-Massa region, fossil trilobites, petrified in volcanic ash for around 515 million years, were unearthed.
As in Pompeii, a cataclysmic event suddenly stopped all activity. But here, they are not humans, but trilobites, trapped in their last posture by volcanic ash.
Located between Marrakech and Agadir, this site revealed remarkably well-preserved fossils, thanks to a Franco-British team led by the University of Poitiers, as reported in the journal Science on June 27, 2024.
Using X-ray microtomography, the researchers discovered astonishing anatomical details in these trilobites. Far better preserved than any discovered so far, these fossils reveal hairs, spines, and even ash-filled intestines, evidence of their past lives.
During the volcanic eruption, the organisms were buried by fiery clouds. This intense heat burned the biological tissues, leaving cavities in the solidified ash, which perfectly preserved the details of the trilobites, from the appendages to the internal organs, as well as those of the brachiopods, small shells attached to their skeleton.
Quoted by the photo and travel magazine, Greg Edgecombe, from the Natural History Museum in London and co-author of the study, expresses his fascination: “ After 40 years of studying trilobites, I have never had such a feeling of seeing living animals.” he says.
This study, by revealing pairs of specialized legs around the mouth and a labrum, similar to an upper lip in modern arthropods, answered long-standing questions about their diet.
« This discovery highlights the importance of volcanic ash deposits in fossil conservation and exploration of volcanic underwater environments,” explains Professor Abderrazak El Albani, from the Institute of Chemistry of Environments and Materials in Poitiers, who led the research.
The imagery used makes it possible to observe fossilized objects in 3D in hard rocks without damaging them, thus offering a new horizon for paleontological studies and the discovery of biological remains, even soft ones, preserved in pyroclastic deposits. “ This technique opens new windows on the history of our planet,” concludes Professor El Albani.
