Trilobites in Morocco adapted to freshwater 510 million years ago

A team of international researchers discovered that trilobites in the Moroccan Haut Atlas lived in environments with varying salinity and climate more than 510 million years ago.

The study, led by Abderrazak El Albani of the Université de Poitiers, analyzed well preserved fossils from the Ait Youb site. While these arthropods are usually associated with marine habitats, the findings show they could adapt to freshwater settings.

The research involved thirteen authors from seven universities and was published in Communications Earth & Environment. The team worked with the Université Cadi Ayyad in Marrakech and received support from the Académie Hassan II des Sciences et Techniques and the Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine.