Elrathia kingi

Elrathia kingi fossils are almost exclusively found in the Middle Cambrian Wheeler Shale of Utah. This region, particularly the House Range, is famous among fossil collectors for yielding thousands of these dark, well-preserved specimens. The deposits date back around 505 million years.

Yes, Elrathia kingi is considered one of the most abundant trilobite species in the global fossil record. Because they existed in massive numbers, complete specimens are frequently collected in Utah and sold commercially. You can often purchase a genuine specimen from rock shops for just a few dollars.

As a ptychopariid trilobite, Elrathia kingi was a benthic detritivore that likely fed on organic particles in the mud on the ancient ocean floor. Its exoskeleton features a deeply furrowed structure characteristic of its family. It spent its life sifting through the soft sediment of the Cambrian seas.

Elrathia kingi was a relatively small trilobite, with most adult specimens measuring between 1 to 2.5 centimeters in length. They had a distinctive, highly convex body shape with a semi-circular head and many body segments. Their small size did not stop them from being a dominant lifeform in their ecosystem.