New York Trilobite Fossils Reveal Extra Set of Legs, Challenging Old Theories

Researchers discover additional appendages in well-preserved trilobite fossils, suggesting complex segmentation and evolutionary insights.

A study led by the American Museum of Natural History and Nanjing University found an extra set of legs under the head of the trilobite species Triarthrus eatoni.
The fossils, exceptionally preserved and found in upstate New York, show a fifth pair of head appendages, previously unrecognized.
This discovery suggests that complex head segmentation might be more widespread among trilobites than previously thought.
Researchers compared these fossils with those of Olenoides serratus from the Burgess Shale, proposing a new model for appendage attachment and head segmentation.
The study, published in Palaeontology, enhances understanding of trilobite evolution and their relationship to modern arthropods.