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Isopodichnus

Classification

    Phylum:  
Trace Fossils and Problematica
    Class:  
Trace Fossils
    Formal Genus Name and Reference:  
Isopodichnus BORNEMANN, 1889, p. 25, explan. pl. III [emend. SCHINDEWOLF, 1928, p. 27 (non BRADY, 1947, p. 470)]
    Type Species:  
*I. problematicus, SD Schindewolf, 1928, p. 27 (=Ichnium problematicum SCHINDEWOLF, 1921, p. 21)


Images

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Fig. 46,3. *I. problematicus, L.Trias.(Buntsandstein), Ger., 3a, X0.67 (Seilacher, 1960), 3b, schem., X0.3 (Seilacher, 1963), 3c-e, X 0.5 (Schindewolf, 1928)


Synonyms

Bipezia


Geographic Distribution

L.Cam., Asia(Pak.); ?Ord., S.Am.(Arg.); V.Sil. (? Downton.), Spitz.; ?L.Dev., Eu.(Ger.); Carb., Australia, Can. (Nova Scotia-N.B.); L.Perm. (Dwyka Ser.), S.Afr.; Trias., Eu.(Ger.)-USA.


Age Range

    Beginning Stage in Treatise Usage:  
L.Cam. (trilobites, ?Ord., U.Sil.
    Beginning International Stage:  
Cambrian Stage 3
    Fraction Up In Beginning Stage:  
0
    Beginning Date:  
521
    Ending Stage in Treatise Usage:  
L.Perm., Trias.
    Ending International Stage:  
Rhaetian
    Fraction Up In Ending Stage:  
100
    Ending Date:  
201.36


Description

Dimorphous trace fossil consisting of small, straight, or curved double-ribbon trails, up to about 6 mm wide, transversely striated by fine furrows; both "ribbons" separated by median ridge, trail may be intermittent, associated with "coffee-bean"shaped impressions of corresponding size. [Combination of ribbonlike ploughing or raking trails (in German, Weidespuren) and coffee-beanlike resting trails, produced by arthropods, possibly by phyllopods or another group of entomostracans. SEILACHER (1970, p. 456) considered Isopodiehnus to be a facies indicator for the nonmarine environment; LINCK (1942, p. 253) restricted its facies range to brackish water. Most similar trails in marine Paleozoic beds are probably made by trilobites, thus Isopodiehnus has been regarded as a synonym of Rusophycus HALL or even Cruziana D'ORBIGNY; for detailed discussion of Isopodiehnus see LINCK (1942), GLAESSNER (1957), and BIRKENMAJER & BRUTON (1971, p. 311, 317, 318); OSGOOD (1970, p. 303) restricted the name Isopodiehnus to short Rusophyeus-like imprints of non-trilobite origin.] [The following "species" should be excluded from Isopodiehnus: 1. sp. SPECK (1945, p. 411) (Mio., Switz.) (according to SElLACHER, 1953b, p. 115, internal trails of creeping gastropods); I. raeticus LINCK, 1942, p. 242 (D.Trias., S.Ger.); I. sp. MULLER, 1955b, p. 483 (L.Trias., Ger.) and probably also I. tritylotos HUNGER, 1947, p. 419 (M.Trias., Ger.).




References



Museum or Author Information

Seilacher, 1960, Seilacher, 1963, Schindewolf, 1928