Colleplax

Colleplax is a genus of extinct trilobites belonging to the order Asaphida. Fossils of Colleplax have been found in Lower Ordovician strata.

Colleplax is characterized by its smooth, flattened exoskeleton and relatively large size compared to other contemporaneous trilobites. The cephalon (head shield) is generally semicircular, with smooth genal angles (the posterolateral corners). The thorax consists of several articulated segments, and the pygidium (tail shield) is typically large and sub-triangular in shape. Specific diagnostic features, such as the number of thoracic segments and the ornamentation of the exoskeleton, are used to differentiate between species within the genus.

The paleobiological significance of Colleplax lies in its contribution to understanding the diversification of trilobites during the Ordovician period. Its presence in specific geological formations aids in biostratigraphic correlation, allowing geologists to date and correlate rock layers across different regions. The smooth exoskeleton and flattened morphology suggest that Colleplax may have been a benthic (bottom-dwelling) organism, possibly living in relatively shallow marine environments.