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Neodrepanura premesnili

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This is the condition in that I received the piece for preparation

This is the condition in that I received
the piece for preparation

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Unfortunately, the preliminary work was quite rough:
the pleurae are rubbed off and a few hits can be seen

Unfortunately, the preliminary work
was quite rough: the pleurae are
rubbed off and a few hits can be seen

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The exposure from the glass-hard rock
has begun

The exposure from the
glass-hard rock
has begun

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The finished stage after 12 hours of careful preparation

The finished stage after 12 hours
of careful preparation

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Neodrepanura premesnili is a very characteristic representative of the Chinese Cambrian, which was known for 100 years through single parts, like cephala or pygidia. It was only in 2011 that the first complete specimen was found and scientifically described.

Several complete specimens have been found over the past few years, which are nevertheless extremely rare. I have been able to prepare half a dozen of these trilobites and present one of the best specimens here.

The trilobites typically occur in a very thin and glass-hard layer. They are more or less visible on the surface or partly also on the plates, which can make them weathered. When I received this piece for preparation, it was not in an as-found condition anymore. Therefore parts of the shell were damaged, but it was relatively certain that the piece would be complete and mostly prone. The preparation is difficult because the rock is extremely hard and the shell tears very easily.

Fossil: Neodrepanura premesnili BERGERON 1899 

Locality: Laiwu, Shandong (China)

Formation: Cambrian, Kushan-Formation

Length of the trilobite: 2,9 cm (1.14 in)

Work required: 12 hours