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Planolites
Classification
Phylum:
Trace Fossils and Problematica
Class:
Trace Fossils
Formal Genus Name and Reference:
Planolites NICHOLSON, 1873, p. 289
Type Species:
*P. vulgaris Nicholson & Hinde, 1875, p. 139 (=P. vulgaris Nicholson, 1873, p. 290, nom. nud.), SD HOWELL, 1943, p. 17
Images
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Synonyms
Scolecites
Geographic Distribution
Age Range
Beginning Stage in Treatise Usage:
Preeam.
Beginning International Stage:
Fortunian
Fraction Up In Beginning Stage:
0
Beginning Date:
538.8
Ending Stage in Treatise Usage:
Rec.
Ending International Stage:
Meghalayan
Fraction Up In Ending Stage:
100
Ending Date:
0
Description
Cylindrical or subcylindrical infilled burrows (diam. up to 15 mm), straight to gently curved, nonbranching, usually more or less horizontal or oblique to bedding planes, penetrating sediment in irregular course and direction, may cross one another. [Interpreted as infilled endichnial burrows (German, " Stop/tunnel"); the name Planolites explicitly established by NICHOLSON (1873, p. 288) for " burrows filled up with the sand or mud which worm has passed through its alimentary canal"; simple burrows showing transverse annulation (" packing structure," "backfilling" ) have been placed in Planolites by several authors (e.g., by CHISHOLM (1970, p. 24) for trace fossils from Carboniferous of Scodand). Planolites is often difficult to distinguish from morphologically similar Palaeophycus HALL; for discussion see OSGOOD (1970, p. 376) (fillings of Palaeophycus are generally regarded as apparendy not having been passed through gut of animals); several "species" assigned to Palaeophycus, Chondrites, and even Arthrophycus more correctly referable to Planolites; P. rugulosus REINECK, 1955, type species of Scoyenia WHITE; P. ophthalmoides JESSEN, 1950, type species of Opthalmidium PFEIFFER, 1968 (superfluous name), for discussion of that "species" see SEILACHER (1963, p. 84), "guide fossil" for Upper Carboniferous "Augenschiefer" of Westphalia; Precambrian "species" described by WALcorr (1899, 1914) were recendy interpreted by CLOUD (1968, p. 55) as " algal?".]
References
Museum or Author Information
Classification
Phylum:
Trace Fossils and Problematica
Class:
Trace Fossils
Formal Genus Name and Reference:
Planolites NICHOLSON, 1873, p. 289
Type Species:
*P. vulgaris Nicholson & Hinde, 1875, p. 139 (=P. vulgaris Nicholson, 1873, p. 290, nom. nud.), SD HOWELL, 1943, p. 17
Images
(Click to enlarge in a new window)Synonyms
Scolecites
Geographic Distribution
Age Range
Beginning Stage in Treatise Usage:
Preeam.
Beginning International Stage:
Fortunian
Fraction Up In Beginning Stage:
0
Beginning Date:
538.8
Ending Stage in Treatise Usage:
Rec.
Ending International Stage:
Meghalayan
Fraction Up In Ending Stage:
100
Ending Date:
0
Description
Cylindrical or subcylindrical infilled burrows (diam. up to 15 mm), straight to gently curved, nonbranching, usually more or less horizontal or oblique to bedding planes, penetrating sediment in irregular course and direction, may cross one another. [Interpreted as infilled endichnial burrows (German, " Stop/tunnel"); the name Planolites explicitly established by NICHOLSON (1873, p. 288) for " burrows filled up with the sand or mud which worm has passed through its alimentary canal"; simple burrows showing transverse annulation (" packing structure," "backfilling" ) have been placed in Planolites by several authors (e.g., by CHISHOLM (1970, p. 24) for trace fossils from Carboniferous of Scodand). Planolites is often difficult to distinguish from morphologically similar Palaeophycus HALL; for discussion see OSGOOD (1970, p. 376) (fillings of Palaeophycus are generally regarded as apparendy not having been passed through gut of animals); several "species" assigned to Palaeophycus, Chondrites, and even Arthrophycus more correctly referable to Planolites; P. rugulosus REINECK, 1955, type species of Scoyenia WHITE; P. ophthalmoides JESSEN, 1950, type species of Opthalmidium PFEIFFER, 1968 (superfluous name), for discussion of that "species" see SEILACHER (1963, p. 84), "guide fossil" for Upper Carboniferous "Augenschiefer" of Westphalia; Precambrian "species" described by WALcorr (1899, 1914) were recendy interpreted by CLOUD (1968, p. 55) as " algal?".]