Detritivore Collection

Arthropleura invertebrate on white background. Arthropleura was a giant insect invertebrate that lived in North America and Scotland during the Carboniferous Period

Drepanaspis is a jawless fish from the Early Devonian of Germany
Drepanaspis gemuendenensis is a jawless fish from the Early Devonian of Germany

Drepanaspis gemuendenensis, an extinct primitive jawless fish from the Devonian Period
Drepanaspis gemuendenensis is an extinct primitive jawless fish from the Devonian Period

A herd of Shantungosaurus dinosaurs scavenging for food
A herd of Shantungosaurus dinosaurs from the Late Cretaceous Period. In dry, hard times, these herbivorous giants picked up everything in its path

Bothriolepis is an extinct placoderm from the Late Devonian of Canada
Bothriolepis canadensis is an extinct placoderm from the Late Devonian of Canada

Drepanaspis is an extinct species of primitive jawless fish from the Devonian Period

Hemicyclaspis is an ostracoderm from the Early Devonian of England
Hemicyclaspis murchisoni is an ostracoderm from the Early Devonian of England

Animals and floral life from the Burgess Shale formation of the Cambrian period
Animals and floral life from the Cambrian period about 500 million years ago from the Burgess Shale formation in Canada. Visible are Anomalocaris, Opabinia, trilobites, stromatolites, and anemones

Waptia is an extinct arthropod from the Cambrian of Canada
Waptia fieldensis is an extinct arthropod from the Cambrian of Canada

An armored Bothriolepis glides along the bottom of a flooded plain
A 12-inch long armored Bothriolepis glides along the bottom of a flooded plain 380 million years ago during the Late Devonian

Arthropleura side profile. Arthropleura was a giant insect invertebrate that lived in North America and Scotland during the Carboniferous Period

Shantungosaurus dinosaur on white background. Shantungosaurus was a herbivorous Hadrosaur dinosaur that lived in China during the Cretaceous Period

Shantungosaurus dinosaur defending itself from a Tarbosaurus attack

Several Bothriolepis emerge from a shallow tributary onto dry land 380 million years ago during the Late Devonian. Bothriolepis is believed to have been primarily an aquatic creature

Shantungosaurus dinosaur, white background

The predator Opabinia uses its proboscis to eat a trilobite in a Cambrian ocean

Olenellus is an extinct trilobite from the Cambrian stage
Olenellus thompsoni is an extinct trilobite from the Cambrian stage

Anglaspis is a heterostracan from the Early Devonian of Norway
Anglaspis heintzi is a heterostracan from the Early Devonian of Norway

Trilobites try to hide from predator Opabinia in a Cambrian sea full of stromatolites

Bothriolepis, a freshwater detritivore from the Devonian Period
Bothriolepis, a freshwater detritivore (bottom feeder) which lived in the Devonian Period

Shantungosaurus dinosaur side view. Shantungosaurus was a herbivorous hadrosaur dinosaur that lived in China during the Cretaceous Period

Shantungosaurus dinosaur head. Shantungosaurus was a herbivorous hadrosaur dinosaur that lived in China during the Cretaceous Period

Bothriolepis, a freshwater bottom feeder from the Devonian Period
Bothriolepis, a freshwater bottom feeder found in rivers and lakes in the Devonian Period

Drepanaspis jawless fish from the Devonian Period
Drepanaspis is an extinct primitive jawless fish in the Devonian Period of Germany

A Drepanaspis on the bottom of a shallow Devonian sea
An 8-inch-long primitive jawless fish of the species Drepanaspis gemuendenensis settles on the bottom of a shallow Devonian sea 380 million years ago

Yellow dung fly. Yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) on a stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf. Photographed in Dorset, UK, in June

Yellow dung fly C014 / 0486
Yellow dung fly. Male yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria) on a stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) leaf. Photographed in Dorset, UK, in June

Processional termites (Hospitalitermes sp.). These termites are native to Southeast Asia. They leave the nest to forage for food which is rolled into balls and taken back to the nest by the workers

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

Detritivores, the unsung heroes of ancient ecosystems, played a crucial role in maintaining balance and recycling organic matter. Take Drepanaspis for example, a jawless fish from Early Devonian Germany. This primitive creature, like its cousin Drepanaspis gemuendenensis from the Devonian Period, thrived by feasting on decaying plant and animal remains. In contrast to these aquatic detritivores, terrestrial giants like Arthropleura roamed the land during prehistoric times. These massive invertebrates scoured the earth's surface for decomposing matter as they navigated through lush landscapes. A captivating sight indeed. Meanwhile, Shantungosaurus dinosaurs formed herds that scavenged tirelessly for food. Picture them diligently searching for remnants left behind by other creatures or even indulging in carrion when necessary. But it wasn't just fish and dinosaurs that embraced this ecological niche; Bothriolepis placoderms also joined the ranks of detritivores during the Late Devonian era in Canada. These armored creatures gracefully glided along flooded plains while devouring dead organisms scattered across their path. Venturing further back into time brings us to Hemicyclaspis ostracoderms from Early Devonian England and Waptia arthropods from Cambrian Canada - both contributing their unique adaptations to thrive on detritus-rich environments. Lastly, let's not forget about the incredible diversity found within Burgess Shale formation during the Cambrian period. Here we encounter an array of animals alongside floral life all engaged in consuming decaying matter as part of their survival strategy. Whether it was Drepanaspis swimming through ancient waters or Arthropleura crawling across prehistoric landscapes, these detritivores were essential players in maintaining equilibrium within Earth's ecosystems throughout history.