Wales and the Welsh Borderland
29th February 2008

Wales and the Welsh Borderlands have been famous as a rich source of trilobites and other Palaeozoic fossils since the 17th Century.

Edward Lhuyd sent a letter in 1698 to Professor Rivinum in Leipzig in which he described trilobites from the Llandeilo district of Dyfed, Wales. Over a century later Murchison (1839) illustrated many more. Later still, in 1863, Salter described the giant trilobite Paradoxides from Porth-y-Rhaw in southwest Wales.

Apart from being a key area in the historical development of sedimentology and palaeontology, this was also one of my forming grounds in the geosciences. Here is a small selection of palaeontological images from the Welsh basin and adjacent Midland Platform.

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Olenus micrurus (Salter 1849), 14 mm. Merioneth Series, Cambrian. Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd,Wales, UK.
Olenus micrurus (Salter 1849), 14 mm. Merioneth Series, Cambrian. Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd,Wales, UK.
 Tomagnostus fissus, 5 mm, from the Middle Cambrian, St Davids Series; Plutonites hicksii Biozone of Nine Wells, Pembrokeshire.
Tomagnostus fissus, 5 mm, from the Middle Cambrian, St Davids Series; Plutonites hicksii Biozone of Nine Wells, Pembrokeshire.
Glyptagnostus reticulatus, 11 mm. Olenus Zone, Merioneth Series, Upper Cambrian, Outwoods Shales Formation, Mancetter Quarries, Nuneaton district, Warwickshire. See Rushton (1983).
Glyptagnostus reticulatus, 11 mm. Olenus Zone, Merioneth Series, Upper Cambrian, Outwoods Shales Formation, Mancetter Quarries, Nuneaton district, Warwickshire. See Rushton (1983).
 Parabolinites Williamsonii, excellent 10 mm specimen in part and counterpart. Upper Cambrian, Dolgellau Series of Trawsfynned, North Wales.
Parabolinites Williamsonii, excellent 10 mm specimen in part and counterpart. Upper Cambrian, Dolgellau Series of Trawsfynned, North Wales.
Paradoxides davidis 170 mm. Porth-y-Rhaw, Middle Cambrian, St. David’s, Dyfed, SW Wales.
Paradoxides davidis 170 mm. Porth-y-Rhaw, Middle Cambrian, St. David’s, Dyfed, SW Wales.
 Peltura scaraboides, 25 mm. Upper Cambrian, Tremadoc, North Wales.
Peltura scaraboides, 25 mm. Upper Cambrian, Tremadoc, North Wales.
 Asaphellus homfrayi (Salter), Lower Ordovician, Tremadoc Stage, Shineton Shales, Shineton, Shropshire. 60 mm.
Asaphellus homfrayi (Salter), Lower Ordovician, Tremadoc Stage, Shineton Shales, Shineton, Shropshire. 60 mm.
 Shumardia pusilla. 2.5 mm, Tremadoc Series, Basal Ordovician. Arenig, Near Bala, North Wales, UK.
Shumardia pusilla. 2.5 mm, Tremadoc Series, Basal Ordovician. Arenig, Near Bala, North Wales, UK.
Asaphellus homfrayi (Salter), Lower Ordovician, Tremadoc Series, Migneintian sub-stage, Lower Ordovician, Garth Hill Formation, Y Garth, Gwynned, Porthmadog, North Wales.
Asaphellus homfrayi (Salter), Lower Ordovician, Tremadoc Series, Migneintian sub-stage, Lower Ordovician, Garth Hill Formation, Y Garth, Gwynned, Porthmadog, North Wales.
 Porterfieldia punctata, 14 mm excellent, Arenig Series, Lower Ordovician, Mathry, South Wales.
Porterfieldia punctata, 14 mm excellent, Arenig Series, Lower Ordovician, Mathry, South Wales.
 Degamella gladiata, 1 cm fine, Arenig Series, Ordovician, Mathry, South Wales.
Degamella gladiata, 1 cm fine, Arenig Series, Ordovician, Mathry, South Wales.
 Merlinia selwynii, 5 cm. Henllan Ash Member of the Carnedd Iago Formation, Arenig Series, Lower Ordovician. Wales, UK. The Henllan Ash Member of the. Carnedd Iago Formation contains. Merlinia selwynii, Neseuretus murchisoni and Ampyx sestarum. Named after a myth about Merlin being sealed in a cave with butterflies.
Merlinia selwynii, 5 cm. Henllan Ash Member of the Carnedd Iago Formation, Arenig Series, Lower Ordovician. Wales, UK. The Henllan Ash Member of the. Carnedd Iago Formation contains. Merlinia selwynii, Neseuretus murchisoni and Ampyx sestarum. Named after a myth about Merlin being sealed in a cave with butterflies.
Neseuretus parvifrons, 17 mm long. Arenig series, Henllan Ash, Cynwedd, Wales.
Neseuretus parvifrons, 17 mm long. Arenig series, Henllan Ash, Cynwedd, Wales.
 Ogygiocarella debuchii. 67 mm long. Ordovician, Uppermost Llanvirn Series, gracilis biozone. Maesgwynne, Powys, Wales, UK. Healed predator damage to front right pygidium can be seen.
Ogygiocarella debuchii. 67 mm long. Ordovician, Uppermost Llanvirn Series, gracilis biozone. Maesgwynne, Powys, Wales, UK. Healed predator damage to front right pygidium can be seen.
 Ogyginus corndensis (Murchison 1839). Llanvirn Series, Abereiddian sub-stage, artus biozone, Ordovician. Gilwern, Builth Wells, Powys, Wales. A beautiful large and complete specimen, 90 mm long.
Ogyginus corndensis (Murchison 1839). Llanvirn Series, Abereiddian sub-stage, artus biozone, Ordovician. Gilwern, Builth Wells, Powys, Wales. A beautiful large and complete specimen, 90 mm long.
 Ectillaenus perovalis (Murchison 1839), 35 mm. Llanvirn Series, Abereiddian sub-stage, Shelve Formation, Stapeley Volcanic Member. Minsterley, Shropshire, England.
Ectillaenus perovalis (Murchison 1839), 35 mm. Llanvirn Series, Abereiddian sub-stage, Shelve Formation, Stapeley Volcanic Member. Minsterley, Shropshire, England.
Barrandia homfrayi, 32 mm. Llanvirn Series, Hope Shales, Minsterley, Shropshire, UK. A rare example with librigenae preserved.
Barrandia homfrayi, 32 mm. Llanvirn Series, Hope Shales, Minsterley, Shropshire, UK. A rare example with librigenae preserved.
 Barrandia parabolica (40 mm long), Orthoceras sp (90 mm long) and Didymograptus artus, part and counterpart. Llanvirn Series, Hope Shales, Minsterley, Shropshire, UK.
Barrandia parabolica (40 mm long), Orthoceras sp (90 mm long) and Didymograptus artus, part and counterpart. Llanvirn Series, Hope Shales, Minsterley, Shropshire, UK.
Trinucleus acutofinalis, triple 12 and 13 mm complete on 8 x 6 cm matrix. Upper Llanvirn; murchisoni Biozone of Rorrington, Shropshire, UK.
Trinucleus acutofinalis, triple 12 and 13 mm complete on 8 x 6 cm matrix. Upper Llanvirn; murchisoni Biozone of Rorrington, Shropshire, UK.
 Trinucleus fimbriatus, 24 mm complete fully mature adult. Caradoc (Llandeilo) Series, gracilis Zone, Llanfaur Quarry, Llandrindod Wells, Mid Wales.
Trinucleus fimbriatus, 24 mm complete fully mature adult. Caradoc (Llandeilo) Series, gracilis Zone, Llanfaur Quarry, Llandrindod Wells, Mid Wales.
Seleneceme acuticaudata, 24 mm, Llanvirn Series, Hope Shales, Leigh, Shropshire, UK.
Seleneceme acuticaudata, 24 mm, Llanvirn Series, Hope Shales, Leigh, Shropshire, UK.
 Whitardolithus instabilis Hughes, 1971, 15 mm wide complete trinucleid. Lower Ordovician, Llanvirn Series, Llandeillian Sub-stage, Llanfawr Mudstones Formation, teretiusculus Biozone. Maesgwynn, near Builth Wells, Powys, Wales.
Whitardolithus instabilis Hughes, 1971, 15 mm wide complete trinucleid. Lower Ordovician, Llanvirn Series, Llandeillian Sub-stage, Llanfawr Mudstones Formation, teretiusculus Biozone. Maesgwynn, near Builth Wells, Powys, Wales.
 Lloydolithus lloydi, complete 16 mm wide trilobite, Caradoc (Llandeilo) Series, Meadowtown, Shropshire.
Lloydolithus lloydi, complete 16 mm wide trilobite, Caradoc (Llandeilo) Series, Meadowtown, Shropshire.
Stapeleyella inconstans (Whittard), Middle Ordovician, Llanvirn Series, Stapeley volcanic group, Linley, Shropshire. 14 mm.
Stapeleyella inconstans (Whittard), Middle Ordovician, Llanvirn Series, Stapeley volcanic group, Linley, Shropshire. 14 mm.
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