Walliserops
Walliserops was a trilobite, a sea creature with a hard shell and many legs that lived long, long ago. On its head it had a long spike with three prongs, just like a fork or a sea king's trident. It was also covered with sharp spines.
When did it live?
How fast is it?
Fun facts
Scientists think it may have used its trident like a rhinoceros beetle uses its horns, to push and fight.
Its body was a little bit lopsided, which helped it hold its trident up off the sea floor while walking.
Some kinds had a long trident and others a short one.
Growing such a big trident took lots of energy, so it must have been very important for the animal.
All the known kinds were found near the same small town, Foum Zguid, in Morocco.
Most asked questions about Walliserops
?What was the trident of Walliserops for?
Nobody knows for sure. The best idea is that it worked like horns for fighting, as in rhinoceros beetles.
?Is Walliserops still alive?
No. It died out a very long time ago, and we only know it from fossils.
?Where are Walliserops fossils found?
In the Anti-Atlas Mountains of southern Morocco.
For bug experts
- Scientific name
- Walliserops
- Group
- Prehistoric giants
- Family
- Acastidae
- Classification
- Trilobita > Phacopida > Acastidae
- Also known as
- Trident trilobite
Where the facts come from
- Walliserops (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
- Picture by Daderot. CC0, Wikimedia Commons. The round sticker of this bug is cut from the same picture.
If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
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