Welcome to the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology!
Please enter a genera name to retrieve more information.
Cruziana
Classification
Phylum:
Trace Fossils and Problematica
Class:
Trace Fossils
Formal Genus Name and Reference:
Cruziana D'ORBIGNY, 1842, p. 30
Type Species:
*C. rugosa, (first?) SD Bassler, 1915, p. 292, later SD: C. furcifera d\'Orbigny, 1842, p. 30, by SEILACHER, 1953, p. 107
Images
(Click to enlarge in a new window)
Fig. 34,1a. C. semiplicata, U.Cam., North Wales (Snowdonia) ; XO.5 (Crimes, 1968). -- Fig. 34,1b,e. Cruziana, Cam.; 1b, diag. showing herringbone pattern consisting' of sets of scratch marks thought to be produced by backward movement of trilobite appendages; 1c, detail of the various sets (represented by letters a-I), schem. (arrow represents direction of movement of the animal) (Birkenmajer & Bruton, 1971). -- Fig. 34, 1d. C. furcifera, L.Ord., North Wales; X0.37 (Crimes, 1968).
Synonyms
Bilobites, Crusiana, Bilobichnium
Geographic Distribution
U.Precam.-Dev., cosmop., Trias., E.Greenl
Age Range
Beginning Stage in Treatise Usage:
U.Precam. (but base-Cambrian GSSP is now onset of related bioturbation, so assumed this basal age.]
Beginning International Stage:
Fortunian
Fraction Up In Beginning Stage:
0
Beginning Date:
538.8
Ending Stage in Treatise Usage:
Trias.
Ending International Stage:
Rhaetian
Fraction Up In Ending Stage:
100
Ending Date:
201.36
Description
Elongate bandlike furrows covered by herringbone-shaped ridges, with or without 2 outer smooth or finely longitudinally striated zones outside V-markings occasionally with lateral grooves and/or wisp markings, variability in size and sculpture due to varied behavior of producer and preserved width of trail (0.5 cm to about 8 cm), length up to more than 1 m, V-angle quite variable, acute to blunt, along length of an individual trail, V-markings are scratch markings made by appendages of producer, certainly mostly by digging activity of endopodites of trilobites, V-markings grouped in sets of distinct parallel claw markings produced by multiple or serrate claws, thus consisting of 2 or more parallel or slightly diverging grooves. [Interpretation was very controversially discussed in many publications from 1881-87; some regarded Cruziana as plants or sponges (DELGADO, 1885; LEBESCONTE, 1883a,b; DE SAPORTA 1884), but NATHORST (1881a, 1886) argued for trace fossil nature; for a short account of this controversy see OsGOOD, 1970, p. 287. Occurrences in France were regarded as "pas de boeuf" or even as " monument druidique" (see DESLONGCHAMPS, 1856, p. 299; FAUVEL, 1868; MORIERE, 1879). These forms now are generally regarded as made by furrowing, burrowing, or shoveling trilobites or trilobite-like arthropods, in part perhaps of merostome origin, and have also been found in freshwater deposits, questionably attributed to notostracan branchiopods (BROMLEY & ASGAARD, 1972); originated by simple ploughing using all or only anterior appendages; lateral ridges may be made by dragging of genal spines; trails may also possess additional impressions of coxae, pleural spines, exopodites and/or carapace edges; produced at mud-sand interface or in muddy sediment by burrowing beneath a sand layer (BIRKENMAJER & BRUTON, 1971, p. 315). For undertrack trails see SEILACHER (1970, p. 448); V-shaped pattern points in opposite direction to that of animal's movement, V's gape forward; for many conclusions from studies of Cruziana on morphology of trilobite legs, trilobite motion and behavior, gradients in digging direction, and preservation, see SEILACHER (1962; 1970, fig. 1-6), CRIMES (1970b,c), BIRKENMAJER & BRUTON (1971, p. 314, 317). BERGSTROM (1973, p. 52-59) discussed the above mentioned papers and others in an excellent summary of the behavioral patterns of trilobites as they relate to the formation of different species of Cruztana and other ce· lated trace fossils.] [Intermediate forms between Cruziana, Rusophycus, and Diplichnites have been observed; Cruziana and Rusophycus were often regarded as synonyms, but LESSERTISSEUR (1955, p. 45), SEILACHER (1955, p. 366), and particularly OSGOOD (1970, p. 303) recommended restricting Rusophycus to the short bilobate resting trails of trilobite origin, naming the longer bilobate forms Cruziana; however, SEILACHER (1970) did not follow that suggestion and placed all " resting tracks," "resting nests," and " resting burrows" in Cruziana. Owing to the difficulties in separating Cruziana and Rusophycus, it seems best " to base the names strictiy on morphology" (OSGOOD, 1970); for discussion of stratigraphic significance of Cruziana see CRIMES (1968, 1969) and SEILACHER (1960, 1970); for detailed discussion of the genus see LEBESCONTE (1883a, p. 59-73), DE SAPORTA (1884, p. 58-89), DELGADO (1885, p. 27-68), DESIO (1940, p. 64-67); LESSERTISSEUR (1955, p. 44-47), SEILACHER (1955, p. 364-366) and other papers quoted above.]
References
Museum or Author Information
Classification
Phylum:
Trace Fossils and Problematica
Class:
Trace Fossils
Formal Genus Name and Reference:
Cruziana D'ORBIGNY, 1842, p. 30
Type Species:
*C. rugosa, (first?) SD Bassler, 1915, p. 292, later SD: C. furcifera d\'Orbigny, 1842, p. 30, by SEILACHER, 1953, p. 107
Images
(Click to enlarge in a new window)
Fig. 34,1a. C. semiplicata, U.Cam., North Wales (Snowdonia) ; XO.5 (Crimes, 1968). -- Fig. 34,1b,e. Cruziana, Cam.; 1b, diag. showing herringbone pattern consisting' of sets of scratch marks thought to be produced by backward movement of trilobite appendages; 1c, detail of the various sets (represented by letters a-I), schem. (arrow represents direction of movement of the animal) (Birkenmajer & Bruton, 1971). -- Fig. 34, 1d. C. furcifera, L.Ord., North Wales; X0.37 (Crimes, 1968).
Synonyms
Bilobites, Crusiana, Bilobichnium
Geographic Distribution
U.Precam.-Dev., cosmop., Trias., E.Greenl
Age Range
Beginning Stage in Treatise Usage:
U.Precam. (but base-Cambrian GSSP is now onset of related bioturbation, so assumed this basal age.]
Beginning International Stage:
Fortunian
Fraction Up In Beginning Stage:
0
Beginning Date:
538.8
Ending Stage in Treatise Usage:
Trias.
Ending International Stage:
Rhaetian
Fraction Up In Ending Stage:
100
Ending Date:
201.36
Description
Elongate bandlike furrows covered by herringbone-shaped ridges, with or without 2 outer smooth or finely longitudinally striated zones outside V-markings occasionally with lateral grooves and/or wisp markings, variability in size and sculpture due to varied behavior of producer and preserved width of trail (0.5 cm to about 8 cm), length up to more than 1 m, V-angle quite variable, acute to blunt, along length of an individual trail, V-markings are scratch markings made by appendages of producer, certainly mostly by digging activity of endopodites of trilobites, V-markings grouped in sets of distinct parallel claw markings produced by multiple or serrate claws, thus consisting of 2 or more parallel or slightly diverging grooves. [Interpretation was very controversially discussed in many publications from 1881-87; some regarded Cruziana as plants or sponges (DELGADO, 1885; LEBESCONTE, 1883a,b; DE SAPORTA 1884), but NATHORST (1881a, 1886) argued for trace fossil nature; for a short account of this controversy see OsGOOD, 1970, p. 287. Occurrences in France were regarded as "pas de boeuf" or even as " monument druidique" (see DESLONGCHAMPS, 1856, p. 299; FAUVEL, 1868; MORIERE, 1879). These forms now are generally regarded as made by furrowing, burrowing, or shoveling trilobites or trilobite-like arthropods, in part perhaps of merostome origin, and have also been found in freshwater deposits, questionably attributed to notostracan branchiopods (BROMLEY & ASGAARD, 1972); originated by simple ploughing using all or only anterior appendages; lateral ridges may be made by dragging of genal spines; trails may also possess additional impressions of coxae, pleural spines, exopodites and/or carapace edges; produced at mud-sand interface or in muddy sediment by burrowing beneath a sand layer (BIRKENMAJER & BRUTON, 1971, p. 315). For undertrack trails see SEILACHER (1970, p. 448); V-shaped pattern points in opposite direction to that of animal's movement, V's gape forward; for many conclusions from studies of Cruziana on morphology of trilobite legs, trilobite motion and behavior, gradients in digging direction, and preservation, see SEILACHER (1962; 1970, fig. 1-6), CRIMES (1970b,c), BIRKENMAJER & BRUTON (1971, p. 314, 317). BERGSTROM (1973, p. 52-59) discussed the above mentioned papers and others in an excellent summary of the behavioral patterns of trilobites as they relate to the formation of different species of Cruztana and other ce· lated trace fossils.] [Intermediate forms between Cruziana, Rusophycus, and Diplichnites have been observed; Cruziana and Rusophycus were often regarded as synonyms, but LESSERTISSEUR (1955, p. 45), SEILACHER (1955, p. 366), and particularly OSGOOD (1970, p. 303) recommended restricting Rusophycus to the short bilobate resting trails of trilobite origin, naming the longer bilobate forms Cruziana; however, SEILACHER (1970) did not follow that suggestion and placed all " resting tracks," "resting nests," and " resting burrows" in Cruziana. Owing to the difficulties in separating Cruziana and Rusophycus, it seems best " to base the names strictiy on morphology" (OSGOOD, 1970); for discussion of stratigraphic significance of Cruziana see CRIMES (1968, 1969) and SEILACHER (1960, 1970); for detailed discussion of the genus see LEBESCONTE (1883a, p. 59-73), DE SAPORTA (1884, p. 58-89), DELGADO (1885, p. 27-68), DESIO (1940, p. 64-67); LESSERTISSEUR (1955, p. 44-47), SEILACHER (1955, p. 364-366) and other papers quoted above.]