Trilobites used their tridents to fight for love #science

How long have animals been fighting for mates? Would you believe the answer is over 400 million years?

Produced by Complexly for PBS Digital Studios

[NightKnight]

They had built-in spatulas to flip eachother like patties

[alabastergiant]

I love trilobites so much!! They were the first known animals with segmented legs! Some of them were the first known animals to see colors and shapes! Yay trilobites!!!

[nedoran]

I bet a scene of thousands of trilobites fighting and mating in the shallows and shores would have been something else, in the moonlight

[risel]

Good rule of thumb: If some part of an animal looks weird or out-of-place, chances are it was probably used for sex appeal.

[Merennulli]

Trilobite A: "Ok, we'll flip for her."
Trilobite 1: Gets out coin.
Trilobite A: "No, no, no! Not like that!"

[KabraKadabraa]

Trilobite fight
Trilobite fight
Trilobite fight

[DJFracus]

I would assume competition for mates is basically as old as mating is.

[Teauma]

I honestly would have imagined that animals competed for reproduction for close to as long as sex existed. The moment exclusively male animals appeared is the moment reproduction became not guaranteed.

[blueabattoir]

Finally, after 400 million years we get some trilobite news!

[judylearn]

I love Eons, trilobites, and I love the shorts, and the longer videos. Thanks so much for nourishing the amateur paleontologist within!

[Temtatork]

Poseidon have been god of the seas for so long that his weapon of choice was modeled after that trilobite headset XD

[ACollectorNotAHoarder]

Maybe trilobites just really love pancakes.

[einar_]

Kind of funny that the oldest known weapon in the animal kingdom is a trident on a sea creature.

[Bluepizza]

That poor trilobite with the deformed trident
Probably either never found a mate or died trying to compete for one

[TUB]

I saw this and was reminded of battlebots that woukd flip opponents over. I can imagine during mating season must-have been like a battle royal of flipping each other for dominance 😂.

[mohitmanas]

I guess we can call them the oldest wrestler in time.

[hillaryneese]

I need to know where she got that sweater, and I need to know desperately

[martingrant]

LADY, YES, THOUGHT OF THE RINO BEETLE ALSO! Oh, like Your "DINO" top, need a "Pebbles" match!!🌻🤠🤷‍♀️🙆‍♂️💃🐈🎄🐿🎄🐧👍

[EmonWBKstudios]

"Trilobite trident sexual combat" is a phrase that I shall be using in every situation I can, from now on.

[TheArizonawolf]

This is the oldest species fighting for sex, not love.