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mrpg [reversethis-{gro.swentnelyos} {ta} {gprm}] writes:

https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/09/we-finally-know-for-sure-what-a-trilobite-ate/ [arstechnica.com]

The one caution the researchers raise about this find is that the feeding behavior of the trilobite may not be entirely normal. There's a discontinuity in the animal's shell between two of its segments, which can be an indication that it's getting ready to molt. If that's the case, the animal may have been overeating to generate additional pressure to help it break out of its old shell.

So, after tens of thousands of trilobite fossils, we finally have one with food inside of it. Yet it seems to be from a species that had a bizarre feeding pattern, and this particular individual may have been sucking down more food than usual. So, we'll probably need to find a few more of these to get a better picture of what trilobites ate.

Nature, 2023. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06567-7 [doi.org]

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