This trilobite is the extremely rare find of a complete Calymene sp. from an “Beyrichienkalk”-erratic of northern Germany. Usually only cephala or pygidia of trilobites can be found in it. Complete trilobites are definitely rarities.

The preparation was very difficult for two reasons. First, the trilobite was very badly broken. Most of the shell was hanging in the negative, which was in several parts and shocked. Secondly, the rock is extremely hard, glass-like and had almost no separation from the shell in the gray areas (where the trilobite was located). Therefore, in order to bring the Calymene to light, it was necessary to glue precisely, to remove the rock carefully and to gently reveal the shell by using fine air abrasives.

Fossil: Calymene sp.

Locality: Island of Rügen (Germany)

Formation: Upper Silurian, Ludlow, “Beyrichienkalk”

Width of the trilobite: about 1.6 cm (0.6 inches)

Work required: 16 hours