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Gerastos is a genus of extinct marine arthropods belonging to the class Trilobita, which thrived during the Paleozoic era. Trilobites are among the earliest-known groups of arthropods, with a fossil record that spans over 270 million years, from the Cambrian to the Permian period. Gerastos, in particular, is known from the Devonian period, approximately 419 to 359 million years ago.

They are related to the modern day horseshoe crab. They had a hard exoskeleton body which was conspicuously segmented which enabled them to roll up just as a modern roly- poly. Gerastos, like many trilobites, possessed compound eyes. These eyes were made up of numerous small lenses, similar to those of modern arthropods like insects and crustaceans. The eyes were situated on the cephalon and provided a wide field of vision, crucial for detecting predators and navigating their environment. Gerastos trilobites inhabited marine environments, ranging from shallow coastal waters to deeper offshore settings. Their fossil distribution suggests they were benthic organisms, living on or near the sea floor. Fossils of Gerastos have been found in various parts of the world, including Europe, North Africa, and North America. This wide geographic distribution indicates that they were a successful and adaptable genus during the Devonian period.

Like all trilobites, Gerastos went extinct by the end of the Permian period, around 252 million years ago, during the Permian-Triassic extinction event. This event was the most severe extinction event in Earth's history, wiping out approximately 90% of marine species. The exact cause of this mass extinction is still debated, but it is commonly attributed to a combination of volcanic activity, climate change, and ocean anoxia.

You'll receive a high quality specimen but not the exact ones pictured here.