Pictorial Guide to the Orders of Trilobites

PICTORIAL GUIDE TO THE
ORDERS OF TRILOBITES
last revised 06 January 2007 by S. M. Gon III

How many words would it take to describe this?

Kettneraspis
Odontopleuroidea
Order Lichida

Introduction
The saying goes that "A picture is worth a thousand words." Sometimes reading a description just does not have the same impact as an image that points out exactly what is being described. For example, without the image, how many words would it take to adequately describe the spiny odontopleuroid trilobite Kettneraspis (left)?

Such descriptions might be filled with morphological terms that would stymie all but the most devoted trilobite morphologist. Even if accompanied by a figure, such as that provided at left, it might be unclear exactly what features were being described, unless the narrative descriptions were linked to the specific salient parts.

The pictorial guide approach links written descriptions to an image of the specimen, pointing out the specific structure with arrows to help familiarize the user with terminology. This method is often used for natural history guides, such as field guides to birds, mammals, etc.

I have developed a pictorial approach to presenting the salient characteristics of the orders, suborders, and superfamilies of trilobites. These guides are based on the available literature describing characters of trilobites that define orders, suborders, and superfamilies, including features of morphology and ontogeny.

Since this approach is still under development, please send me feedback after you have finished running through the draft pictorial guides accessible below, by sending me a quick note by clicking on the feedback links.

Thanks!

Sam Gon III

How to use the pictorial guides
Begin by choosing one of the orders via their names or images below. For example, if you choose the Order Redlichiida, you will be taken to a page that provides a pictorial guide to that order, offering more detail via pictorial guides to the Suborders Redlichiina and Olenellina, and their constituent Superfamilies.

AGNOSTIDA	REDLICHIIDA	CORYNEXOCHIDA
PHACOPIDA	ASAPHIDA	PROETIDA
LICHIDA	PTYCHOPARIIDA	HARPETIDA