Trilobites

Trilobites were ancient marine arthropods that lived over 500 million years ago, thriving during the Paleozoic era. They are characterized by their three distinct body sections: a head (cephalon), a segmented body (thorax), and a tail (pygidium). Trilobites varied greatly in size and shape, and they inhabited oceans worldwide. As one of the earliest known groups of animals with hard exoskeletons, they left behind a rich fossil record, helping scientists understand early life on Earth. Trilobites went extinct around 250 million years ago but remain a key focus of paleontological research.