FOSSILGUY.COM

Beautiful cryptolithus trilobite fossil, showing the lace collar. Fossils found at Swatara Gap, Pennsylvania

Cryptolithus Trilobite Facts and Information - The Details

Cryptolithus trilobites are a genus of small (less than an inch), blind, trilobites from the Ordovician. They are often called "Lace Collar" Trilobites, because of the little pits, or fenestrae on the priphery of the cephalon. These pits can easily be seen in the images above. The pits were actuall holes, The trilobite would stir up sediment and filter it through these holes. It was thus a filter feeder, feeding on debris near the bottom of the sea floor.

Lace collar trilobites, besides for the lace-like cephalon, are also known for their very long genial spines. These spines are actually longer than the trilobite, from cephalon to pygidium.

Although they are a very small genus of trilobite, they are incredibly beautiful. Unfortunately, most of the time they are found as fragments. However, some Ordovician formations were preserved in just the right conditions to leave these trilobites intact. One such formation is the Martinsburg Formation. This formation was exposed in the famous Swatara Gap, in Lebanon County, PA. This formation left casts of the trilobites coated in a fine rust colored powder called limonite. Limonite is a type of iron oxide, specifically, it's an iron oxide-hydroxide powder.

---

Where to find Cryptolithus Trilobite Fossils

Cryptolithus can be found in the upper Ordovician formations in North America.

The world famous specimens of C. bellulus come from the Martinsburg Formation. A famouse collecting locality for this formation was the Swatara Gap locality in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. Here, the fossils, including complete Cryptolithus, are coated with a beautiful rusty iron-oxide powder. Cryptolithus tessellatus are common in the Kope Formation. The Kope formation is an extensive upper Ordovician formation that runs through Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. Unfortunately, whole Cryptolithus trilobites are rare in this formation, although fragments can be abundant

The above and below images show 'hash plate' sections from the Kope Formation. It is composed almost entirely of crinoid fragments, some brachiopods, bryozoans, and Cryptolithus trilobite fragments.

---

Recommended Trilobite and Fossil Hunting Books:

Trilobites for Sale:

Trilobites from Fossil Era
Trilobite fossils are some of the most beautiful and collectible fossils in the world! They make beautiful display and conversation pieces, and can be very affordable gifts for fossil and paleontology enthusiasts. Fossil Era has a huge selection of top quality trilobites from many states and many countries. It's fun just to browse through the inventory and look at all the different types!

---

Cryptolithus Fossil Examples

---

Cryptolithus Bellulus from Swatara Gap

Cryptolithus tessellatus from the Kope Formation

---

Raymond, Percy Edward (1920). The Appendages, Anatomy, and Relationships of Trilobites. Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences - Yale University Press. Released Ebook from Project Gutenberg - Produced by Thomas Cosmas - 2012. Ebook Here.