Lonchodomas (Lon-ko-dome-as) is a peculiar little trilobite hailing from the Ordovician of Russia, known best for its three long spines. Like the rest of the raphiophorid trilobites, Lonchodomas lacked eyes – it navigated the world mostly using its antenna. The large spine on the front of the head may have also been used to feel around its environment, however it could also have been used to fight one another, similar to some modern insects. The two spines extending from its cheeks are more of a mystery – perhaps they were also used as sensory tools, or maybe they deterred predators from biting onto them. Interestingly, several fossils of Lonchodomas have been found with multiple individuals preserved walking in a line – maybe these spines were used to keep themselves in line, feeling the trilobite in front of them to ensure they didn’t get lost. Some aquatic invertebrates today, like lobster, will also form long chains during their migrations, so perhaps these Lonchodomas were fossilized along their migration route. Now that you have one wandering around, maybe you can test this theory!