Is this the most successful animal ever? - Nigel Hughes
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Prevailing for around 270 million years and encompassing more than 20,000 distinct species, trilobites are some of the most successful lifeforms in Earth’s history. When they sprung into existence, they were among the most diverse and sophisticated organisms on the planet and so had a unique perspective on the ancient world. Nigel Hughes details the rise and fall of these hardy creatures.
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Additional Resources for you to Explore
Explore the 20,000 distinct species of trilobites and their fossils, or learn more about trilobite morphology, anatomy, ecology, behavior, reproduction, and development, and how they relate to trilobite origins, evolution, and classification.
Take a virtual trilobites tour with the American Museum of Natural History’s paleontologists Associate Curator Melanie Hopkins and PhD student Ernesto Vargas-Parra that includes a look inside the museum’s extensive trilobite collection, and a Q&A about field research, collections, and more.
Watch this short documentary about the natural history of trilobites, the pioneers of the Paleozoic era.
Take a virtual trilobites tour with the American Museum of Natural History’s paleontologists Associate Curator Melanie Hopkins and PhD student Ernesto Vargas-Parra that includes a look inside the museum’s extensive trilobite collection, and a Q&A about field research, collections, and more.
Watch this short documentary about the natural history of trilobites, the pioneers of the Paleozoic era.

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