Trilobites appeared in ancient oceans well before life emerged on land. These marine arthropods existed for almost 300 million years, and over 20,000 species have been described so far.
In this video, Museum Curator Neil Landman and Field Associates Andy Secher and Martin Shugar discuss trilobites, their interesting features (including spines to protect them from predators), and how fossils are collected and prepared while highlighting a new Museum exhibit that features 15 rare and beautiful trilobite fossils from the Museum's collection.