Cyclopyge vs Carolinites

Exceptionally large compound eyes distinguish Cyclopyge, a genus of Ordovician trilobites. The eyes occupy much of the sides of the cephalon, or head shield, making vision a conspicuous feature of its anatomy. Their extent contrasts with the smaller visual surfaces of many bottom-associated trilobites and has shaped scientific interpretations of how these animals lived. Cyclopyge belongs to a gro...

Carolinites is a genus of Ordovician trilobite characterized by very large compound eyes that provided a broad field of vision. Its remains occur in geographically widespread marine deposits, a distribution commonly interpreted as evidence that it lived in the open water column rather than remaining confined to the seafloor. This pelagic habit helps explain its occurrence across regions that were...