Ichnologic Note A New Ichnospecies of Cardioichnus from the Cretaceous (Albian) of New Mexico |
| |
Authors: | Eric J Kappus Spencer G Lucas |
| |
Institution: | 1. Department of General Education, Southwest University at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, USA;2. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA |
| |
Abstract: | A new ichnospecies of Cardioichnus, Cardioichnus biloba isp. nov., is described and documented from shallow marine strata of Cretaceous (Late Albian) age in southern New Mexico, USA. It is a heart-shaped resting trace which, unlike all other ichnospecies of Cardioichnus, is epichnial and increases in width to a bilobate trace, often with a raised anterior terminus. Only the posterior end of this trace is associated with Bichordites burrows, and the anterior end is bilobate and undisturbed. This represents a resting position which differs from other known species of this cubichnium, which are hypichnial and subquadrate in symmetry. The tracemaker is a spatangoid echinoid, most likely Heteraster d'Orbigny, 1853. |
| |
Keywords: | Cardioichnus biloba cubichnia resting trace spatangoid echinoid Cretaceous New Mexico |
|
|