tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517176012861550589.post6758614776586707773..comments2023-06-14T21:50:15.221+10:00Comments on Ediacaran: Palaeoporn 16Chris Nedinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06978886926715669724noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517176012861550589.post-66707195368377462432010-07-23T23:34:22.413+10:002010-07-23T23:34:22.413+10:00It probably did. The head is missing and the free ...It probably did. The head is missing and the free cheeks are, well, free, which is a good indication the the trilobite exited through the head.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517176012861550589.post-62802558243093931052010-07-23T02:13:46.937+10:002010-07-23T02:13:46.937+10:00One obvious question... did the trilobite actually...One obvious question... did the trilobite actually escape and survive? Given that the disarticulated pieces are in close proximity it begs the question whether what we are seeing is a molt gone wrong (as you describe), but the animal remaining trapped in the old molt skin and dying, thus keeping most of the exoskeleton fragments in close proximity to each other even though they are no longer (or weakly) attached to each other. In my own experience rearing insects, its hard (in fact, I would say impossible without assistance) for an insect which has a problem during molting to 'rescue' itself from the remains of its molt skin. The trilobite molt skin is probably more rigid, but I would still think it would be very difficult to extricate itself once it snapped in the middle.Oikomanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06369480591050751916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5517176012861550589.post-14283542196636253702010-07-22T23:24:33.089+10:002010-07-22T23:24:33.089+10:00I was thinking something along the lines of a nast...I was thinking something along the lines of a nasty divorce... especially, with the spines.<br /><br />Meh, I'll read it again tomorrow.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com