You heard me. Phacops rana. This is an exciting moment for the blog, as this is the first species featured in a DinoBlag which I actually own a specimen of. Phacops is a classic Devonian trilobite, native not only to North America, but also to Morocco. The specific name is a reference to its eyes, which reminded scientists of the common frog (Rana).
It lived around 400 million years ago in shallow seas, and is a common fossil in many Devonian sediments. It is known for commonly being found in a balled-up position similar to that of the modern pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare). It is the state fossil of Pennsylvania.
Phacops is the state fossil of Pennsylvania, and quite a large trilobite at up to 6 inches in length. Something interesting about its relatives are that they are capable of seeing almost 360 degrees around the animal, which undoubtedly would have allowed it to detect incoming predators.
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