10/26/2026
🪨 Rock of the Week: Trilobites!
Imagine holding a creature that lived in the ocean more than 500 million years ago!
Trilobites were ancient marine animals that roamed Earth's oceans long before dinosaurs ever existed. These fascinating creatures were relatives of modern-day horseshoe crabs, spiders, and crustaceans.
Their name means "three lobes," referring to the three sections running lengthwise down their bodies.
Here are a few amazing trilobite facts:
They had incredible eyes! Many trilobites had compound eyes made of calcite crystals, allowing them to see through a mineral!
They ruled the ancient seas! Trilobites survived for nearly 270 million years before disappearing during the mass extinction about 252 million years ago.
They could curl into a ball! Some trilobites rolled themselves up for protection, much like modern pill bugs.
Today, their fossils give us an incredible glimpse into a world that existed hundreds of millions of years before humans.
Stop by Rockhoppers to see real trilobite fossils and hold a little piece of prehistoric ocean history in your hands!
