Olenellid Trilobite

Olenellus thompsoni, a typical olenellid trilobite, approximately 1.3 inches (3.4 centimeters) long. These are the earliest group of common North American trilobites, occurring only in the early Cambrian.

Olenellid trilobite fossil from Early Cambrian deposits in Alabama
Photo courtesy of David R. Schwimmer Ⓒ 2017
Olenellid trilobite fossil from Early Cambrian deposits in Alabama