Trilobite Trip

We are headed out to the Marble Mountains of California to collect trilobites from the Lower Cambrian Latham Shale, below cliffs of Chambless Limestone. Last April the Museum took a collecting trip out and came back with more than 147 specimens for the Museum collections.

While trilobites are invertebrates and are legally collectible from BLM land (reasonable amounts for personal use, no permit required), when collecting large amounts for research you do need a permit (which the museum does have). But what is a “reasonable amount?” According to the Utah BLM website, which has a nice descriptive paleontology section, ”You may collect common invertebrate and plant fossils for NONCOMMERCIAL purposes only. A reasonable amount is what you may keep for a personal hobby collection or display in your home. Collecting common invertebrate or plant fossils for landscaping (even if it’s just around your house) is not a hobby activity and must be done as a mineral materials sale.”

http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/more/cultural/Paleontology/collecting_fossils.html

If you are wondering if you need a permit, go here.

Last year they got some great specimens. Trilobites collected include:
Olenellus gilberti, Olenellus clarki, Olenellus nevadensis, Mesonacis fremonti, Bristolia mohavensis, Bristolia harringtoni