Ductina Vietnamica Fossil | Natural Fossilized Trilobite in Host Rock | Guangxi Province | SO24

This is a nice 47 gram/1.7 ounce fossilized Trilobite in host rock from the GuangXi Province, China; perfect for gift giving to a new fossil collector. Trilobites are the most diverse group of extinct animals preserved in the fossil record. Nine orders of trilobite are recognized, into which 15,000+ species are placed.  Ductina is a genus of extinct, small to average sized, eyeless phacopid trilobite, that lived during the Devonian. It is probably going to be one of the rarest collection item you'll ever own.

The species of the genus Ductina lived during the Devonian in Europe and South-East Asia.  Fossils of Ductina vietnamica have been found in the Eifelian of China, Nandan Formation, Luofu, Nandan County, Guangxi Province and Hunan Province; and of course in the Pragian of Vietnam, Song Hiem, Mia Le Beds.

Trilobites are remarkable, hard-shelled, segmented creatures that existed over 300 million years ago in the Earth's ancient seas. They went extinct before dinosaurs even came into existence, and are one of the key signature creatures of the Paleozoic Era, the first era to exhibit a proliferation of the complex life-forms that established the foundation of life as it is today.

Although dinosaurs are the most well-known fossil life forms, trilobites are also a favorite among those familiar with Paleontology (the study of the development of life on Earth), and are found in the rocks of all continents. The matrix measures 47x36x18 mm / 1.9x1.4x0.7 inches while the specimen is approximately 18x11 mm / 0.7x0.4 inches.