Thalassinoides burrows (decapoda dwelling structures) in lower cretaceous sections of southwestern and central Crimea

Burrows of Thalassinoides, which are attributed to the group of dwelling structures, occur in all the marine and coastal facies. The Lower Cretaceous sections of southwestern and central Crimea yielded the representative collection of Thalassinoides burrows belonging to the ichnospecies Th. suevicus (Rieth, 1932), which served as an object for this investigation. The burrows are confined to coarse-grained terrigenous, carbonate, and mixed sediments and contain assemblages of ichnofossils indicating coastal and shallow-water marine Skolithos and Cruziana ichnofacies. In the Mesozoic-Cenozoic, the producers of the Thalassinoides burrows were decapods, confirmed by finds of crayfish Hoploparia in them.     

Trace fossil assemblages in mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments of the Kaladongar Formation (Middle Jurassic), Patcham Island,Kachchh, Western India

The Middle Jurassic rocks of the Kaladongar Formation well exposed in the Kaladongar Hill range of the Patcham Island and Kuar Bet of the Northern Kachchh comprises of ∼450 m thick sequence of mixed siliciclasticcarbonate sediments intercalated with shales. These Mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments show wide variation in textural and mineralogical composition and represent genetically related six rock types: micritic sandstone, allochemic sandstone, sandy allochemic limestone, micrtic mudrock, sandy micrite and muddy micrite; which are highly bioturbated and show behaviourally diverse groups of trace fossils. Total 34 ichnogenera are identified, which includes, Arenicolites, Asterosoma, Beaconites, Bergaueria, Chondrites, Cochlichnus, Dactylophycus, Daedalus, Didymaulichnus, Diplocraterion, Gordia, Gyrochorte, Gyrolithes, Ichnocumulus, Laevicyclus, Lockeia, Margaritichnus, Monocraterion, Nereites, Ophiomorpha, Palaeophycus, Phoebichnus, Phycodes, Pilichnus, Planolites, Plug Shaped Form, Protovirgularia, Rhizocorallium, Scolicia, Skolithos, Taenidium, Teichichnus, Thalassinoides and Walcottia. These trace fossils are classified into six morphological groups namely, circular and elliptical structures; simple structures; branched structures; rosette structures; spreiten structures; and winding and meandering structures. These trace fossils are further group into eight assemblages which occurred together into mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments, include, Asterosoma assemblage, Gyrochorte assemblage, Rhizocorallium assemblage, Thalassinoides assemblage, Planolites-Palaeophycus assemblage, Phycodes assemblage, Ophiomorpha assemblage and Skolithos assemblage. The recurring pattern of these assemblages through the sequence displays the development of Skolithos and Cruziana ichnofacies and at places the mixed Skolithos-Cruziana ichnofacies which suggest a low wave and current energy conditions with intervening period of high wave and current energy conditions and an intermediate period of stressful environments, respectively. Sedimentological and ichnological data suggest that the deposition of the mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments of the Kaladongar Formation took place in the foreshore to offshore environment under fluctuating wave and current energy condition.     

Ichnology of the Callovian-Oxfordian rocks of the Katrol hill range,Kachchh, western India

On the basis of distinct lithologic features such as composition, grain size, bedding characteristics and sedimentary structures, six facies were identified in Callovian to Oxfordian rocks exposed southwest of Bhuj, Kachchh. They are interbedded calcareous shale-siltstone (ICSSF), limestone (LF), ferruginous sandstone (FerSF), felspathic sandstone (FelSF), grey shale (GSF) and oolitic limestone (OLF) facies. The rich and highly diversified trace fossils reveal a wide range of animal behaviours represented by dwelling, feeding, crawling and resting structures. Horizontal feeding structures are found abundantly in all lithofacies indicating low wave and current energy and deposition of poorly sorted muddy to sandy sediments. A few coarse layers containing Arenicolites, Ophiomorpha and Skolithos indicate the presence of opportunistic animals (due to their first appearance under harsh conditions) under -intermittently moderate wave and current energy or storm wave conditions (due to coarse grain size and dominance/presence of only vertical trace fossils) in the shoreface zone. Taenidium occurs mainly in the lower shoreface to transitional zone suggesting low to moderate energy conditions. Thalassinoides occurs in middle to lower shoreface settings under relatively low-energy conditions. Zoophycos represents offshore environment, where it occupies the deepest bioturbation levels.The characteristic lithofacies and assemblages of trace fossils in the rocks of the Chari/Jumara Formation indicate a depositional environment fluctuating from the upper shoreface to offshore zone.     

Upper Cretaceous Gongila Formation in the Hawal Basin, northeast Benue Trough: a storm and wave dominated regressive shoreline complex

The Gongila Formation in the Hawal Basin displays lithological characteristics, textural variations and sedimentary structures that facilitate palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. The 41 m thick Gongila succession is divisible into: (i) a mudstone facies association (at the bottom) composed of fossiliferous limestone, clay shale, and sharp-based, graded and swaly-bedded shell debris; and (ii) a cross-stratified sandstone facies association that constitutes the uppermost 60% of the entire succession. The cross-stratified sandstone facies association is further subdivided, on the basis of sedimentary structures, into: (i) a lower interval represented by a coarsening upward fine- to medium-grained sandstone, siltstone and shale in which units characterised by parallel lamination and hummocky cross-stratification pass upward through a zone of small-scale low angle cross-stratification into units characterised by planar cross-stratification and sparse Teichichnus and Skolithos burrow traces; and (ii) an upper interval dominated by fine- to medium-grained sandstone and bioturbated siltstone characterised by erosive based, high angle tangential foresets, subhorizontal laminations and burrow structures belonging to the Thalassinoides, Ophiomorpha and Skolithos ichnogenera.The overall sequence of the Gongila Formation represents progradation on a wave influenced coast, passing from shelf mudstone at the base to lower and upper shoreface sandstones at the top. Each facies association displays an alternation between relatively high energy conditions when sediment was mainly deposited by decelerating suspension laden currents, and relatively low energy conditions when wave reworked fine-grained sediment as it was deposited from suspension. The influence of storms in these conditions is inferred from the associated lithofacies, textural characteristics and sedimentary structures.     

Trace fossils from Bhuban Formation,Surma Group (Lower to Middle Miocene) of Mizoram India and their palaeoenvironmental significance

A detailed ichnological study performed on the Bhuban Formation, Surma Group (Lower to Middle Miocene) of Mizoram, India reveals the occurrence of rich and diverse trace fossils. These have been collected from the two localities in Aizawl, i.e., Bawngkawn and Ropaiabawk, where sandstone—shale sequence is well exposed. Total 20 ichnospecies of 14 ichnogenera have been identified which include Arenicolites isp., Cochlichnus anguineus, Helminthopsis abeli, Laevicyclus mongraensis, Ophiomorpha borneensis, Palaeophycus tubularis, Palaeophycus heberti, Palaeophycus sulcatus, Palaeophycus alternatus, Pholeus abomasoformis, Pholeus bifurcatus, Planolites beverleyensis, Planolites annularis, Polykladichnus irregularis, Rhizocorallium isp., Skolithos linearis, Taenidium satanassi, Teichichnus rectus, Thalassinoides horizontalis and Thalassinoides paradoxicus. Ethologically these ichnogenera display dwelling and feeding activities of the infaunal organisms. Arenicolites, Ophiomorpha, Polykladichnus and Skolithos are the members of the Skolithos ichnofacies while Palaeophycus, Planolites, Rhizocorallium and Thalassinoides are the members of the Cruziana ichnofacies. The presence of Skolithos ichnofacies indicates sandy shifting substrate and high energy conditions in foreshore zone while the Cruziana ichnofacies indicate unconsolidated, poorly sorted soft substrate and low energy condition in the shoreface/offshore zone. These ichnogenera indicate foreshore to shoreface-offshore zone of shallow marine environment for the deposition of the rocks of the Bhuban Formation of Mizoram.     

An example of a highly bioturbated,storm‐influenced shoreface deposit: Upper Jurassic Ula Formation,Norwegian North Sea

Integrated ichnological and sedimentological analyses of core samples from the Upper Jurassic Ula Formation in the Norwegian Central Graben were undertaken to quantify the influence of storm waves on sedimentation. Two main facies associations (offshore and shoreface) that form a progradational coarsening upward succession are recognizable within the cores. The offshore deposits are characterized by massive to finely laminated mudstones and fine‐grained sandstones, within a moderately to highly bioturbated complex. The trace fossil assemblage is dominated by deposit‐feeding structures (for example, Planolites, Phycosiphon and Rosselia) and constitutes an expression of the proximal Zoophycos to distal Cruziana ichnofacies. The absence of grazing behaviours and dominance of deposit‐feeding ichnofossils is a reflection of the increased wave energies present (i.e. storm‐generated currents) within an offshore setting. The shoreface succession is represented by highly bioturbated fine‐grained to medium‐grained sandstones, with intervals of planar and trough cross‐bedding, thin pebble lags and bivalve‐rich shell layers. The ichnofossil assemblage, forming part of the Skolithos ichnofacies, is dominated by higher energy Ophiomorpha nodosa ichnofossils and lower energy Ophiomorpha irregulaire and Siphonichnus ichnofossils. The presence of sporadic wave‐generated sedimentary structures and variability in ichnofossil diversity and abundance attests to the influence of storm‐generated currents during deposition. As a whole, the Ula Formation strongly reflects the influence of storm deposits on sediment deposition; consequently, storm‐influenced shoreface most accurately describes these depositional environments.     

Ichnofauna from the Harbans Bed of the Badhaura Formation (Sterlitmakian), Rajasthan,India

In the first ever systematic study of trace fossils from the Badhaura Formation, the authors described a nesting burrow, which they ascribed to a stomatopod. The purpose of this paper is two-fold: primarily, to document ichnofauna from (post-glacial marine late Palaeozoic rocks of peninsular India) the Badhaura Formation (Sterlitmakian) representing marine rocks deposited following the Late Palaeozoic glaciation and secondly to contribute to the data on post-glacial ichnofauna from constituent continents of the Gondwanaland. Trace fossils described here are from the Harbans Bed, the topmost lithounit of the Badhaura Formation. The ichnofauna includes Arenicolites tenuis, Beaconites isp., Curvolithus isp., Cylindrichnus concentricus, Didymaulichnus lyelli, Ophiomorpha isp., Palaeophycus tubularis, Planolites beverleyensis, P. montanus, Rosselia chonoides, R. socialis, Skolithos linearis, Taenidium cameronensis, Thalassinoides paradoxicus, Thalassinoides isp. and a flask-shaped brood chamber assigned to a stomatopod crustacean. This mixed assemblage is assigned to distal Skolithos ichnofacies and is suggestive of a period of relatively quiet, shallow water conditions of deposition. The ichnofauna, when viewed in context of peri-gondwanic ichnofaunas, mainly consisting of simple tracks and trails, from late Palaeozoic post-glacial deposits of other Gondwanan continents, is interesting due to dominance of domichnia. Profusion of brood chambers along with Thalassinoides in the Badhaura Formation validates the concept of pre-Mesozoic Thalassinoides being non-decapod in origin and suggestive of adaptive convergence.     

A method for measuring ingestion rate of deposit feeders and its use with the polychaeteNereis succinea

In situ ingestion rates of some infaunal deposit feeders can be determined without collecting feces by labeling the sediment with fluorescent particles and using these to trace ingested material through the gut of the animals. This technique was applied to the polychaeteNereis succinea and showed that ingestion rate, expressed as material ingested per body weight, increased with temperature and decreased with body size. Total annual ingestion of sediment and detritus for aN. succinea population in a salt marsh near Beaufort, N.C., was estimated to be 5 kg of dry material m^?2, more than 4 times that reported for salt marsh epifaunal deposit feeders. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY009 00005     

Trace fossils from the late cretaceous Lameta Formation,Jabalpur area,Madhya Pradesh: Paleoenvironmental implications

In Jabalpur area about 18 m to 45 m thick Lameta Formation is stratigraphically divisible into five lithounits namely, Green Sandstone, Lower Limestone, Mottled Nodular Beds, Upper Limestone and Upper Sandstone. Having differentiated lithofacies constitution and here grouped as facies associations, these units are intensively burrowed and sparingly fossiliferous. Ichnogenera including Arenicolites, Calycraterion, Fucusopsis, Laevicyclus, Macanopsis, Ophiomorpha, Paleomeandron, Rhizocorallium, Stipsellus, Thalassinoides and Zoophycos are recovered from the Lower Limestone, Mottled Nodular Beds and Upper Limestone associations of the Lameta Formation of Jabalpur area.Among these, Arenicolites, Calycraterion, Laevicyclus, Ophiomorpha, Rhizocorallium, Stipsellus and Thalassinoides belong to mixed Skolithos and Cruziana ichnofacies and indicate sandy backshore to sublittoral condition of deposition. Additionally rhyzocretes, some times chertified, are also present in different parts of the Lameta Formation. Ichnofacies assemblage supported by sedimentological information suggests that the Lameta Formation of Jabalpur area was deposited in coastal marine settings where sediments were subaerially exposed intermittently.     

Devonian ichnofossils from the Farakah Muth section of the Pin Valley,Spiti Himalaya

The Muth Formation is one of the most characteristic marker horizon traced throughout the northwestern Himalaya. The present studies were carried out in the Farakah Muth (Pin Valley) section of Spiti Basin. The formation uniformly consists of quartzarenite with a high textural and compositional maturity. The development of carbonate beds in the upper part of the Muth Formation separates it conformably from the overlying Lipak Formation. A variety of traces were observed throughout the succession, includes: Metaichna, Planolites, Skolithos, vertical and horizontal burrows. The presence of ichnofossils in the Muth Formation of the Farakah section indicates subtidal settings having soft sandy substrate, whereas, the gradual maturity of the quartz grains from base to top indicates deposition under high energy condition.     

The exaggerated radiocarbon age of deposit‐feeding molluscs in calcareous environments

Throughout northern Canada, live‐collected, pre‐bomb, deposit‐feeding marine molluscs from calcareous sediments yield greater apparent radiocarbon ages than do suspension feeders. We explore the size of this effect in a set of 57 paired datings of deposit feeders, mainly Portlandia arctica, and suspension feeders, mainly Hiatella arctica and Mya truncata, collected from both calcareous and non‐calcareous Holocene sediments. Deposit feeders from calcareous sediments are older than their suspension‐feeding counterparts by as much as 2240±130 ¹⁴C years. This is attributed to the uptake of ‘old’ bicarbonate derived from calcareous bedrock. The age discrepancy between suspension and deposit feeders in calcareous terrain is non‐systematic in space and time, thereby invalidating the application of a correction. In contrast, the age comparisons are concordant at sites located on the Precambrian Shield. In terrestrial environments underlain by carbonate, previous acceptance of dates on deposit feeders led to erroneous interpretations of deglaciation and relative sea‐level history, in both the North American and the Eurasian Arctic. This has prompted several researchers to exclude deposit feeders from their late Quaternary reconstructions. The same chronological problem of deposit‐feeding molluscs now needs to be more widely acknowledged by the marine community.     

Ichnofossils from the Miocene Middle Bhuban Formation, Mizoram,Northeast India and their Paleoenvironmental Significance

An ichnofossil assemblage is preserved in sediments of the Middle Bhuban Formation,Surma Group,of Miocene age from the Durtlang and Chanmari sections,Aizawl district,Mizoram,northeastern India.The studied sections comprise a thick,bioturbated and thinly bedded sandstone–silty shale facies.The preserved ichnofossils show high density and low diversity with the assemblage represented by feeding and resting traces,i.e.,Psilonichnus upsilon Frey et al.,1984,Ophiomorpha isp.,Teichichnus spiralis Mikulá.1990,Skolithos isp.,Palaeophycus isp.,and other horizontal burrows.Sedimentary structures associated with these traces are mainly cross bedding,flaser bedding and slump structures.Considering the distribution of the Psilonichnus ichnogenus across an integrated ichnological–sedimentological framework,the stratigraphic interval of the Middle Bhuban Formation,in which they occur,are interpreted to have been deposited under a shallow,marginal-marine channel complex dominated by tidal channels developed in quiet,brackish-water portions of a delta plain.     

Integrated ichnological and sedimentological studies of the Parahio Formation (Cambrian) of the Zanskar region (Zanskar-Spiti Basin), Northwest Himalaya

Lower-Middle Cambrian (Lungwangmiaoan-Hsuchuangian stage) Parahio Formation (Kunzam La Formation) exposed at Purni Village, Niri-Tsarap Chu Valley of Zanskar region of Tethyan Himalaya has yielded a high diversity and abundant ichnofossils with myriapod trackways. It includes Cruziana isp., Phycodes palmatum, Diplocraterion isp., Diplichnites isp., Dimorphichnus isp., Tapherhelminthopsis cf. circularis, Teichichnus isp., Monomorphicnus isp., Lockeia isp., Skolithos isp., Planolites isp., Palaeophycus isp., Isopodichnus isp., and arthropod appendage marks. Integration of ichnological and sedimentological studies for measured part of the Parahio Formation (Cambrian) reveals that alternating energy conditions due to recurring storm events were superimposed on low energy fair-weather sediments. The post-depositional Arenicolites ichnofacies, preserved within the high-energy storm beds of shoreface deposits, commonly overlies the fair-weather assemblage of pre-depositional Cruziana ichnofacies of relatively more offshore deposits, which contains more diverse and varied behavioral signatures of various deposit feeders. The traces of the Cruziana ichnofacies are abruptly replaced by traces of Arenicolites ichnofacies and show reiteration throughout the measured part of the Parahio Formation. The ichnofabric indices in these deposits range from ii3–ii5. No discrete sets of tiers are observed; perhaps there were two coeval communities. Ichnologically, an idealized wave-dominated progradational cycle in the Parahio Formation is characterized, from base to top, by a Cruziana ichnofacies (lower-upper offshore to offshore transition) and storm related Arenicolites ichnofacies (shoreface). Each progradational cycle reflects a progressive increase in sand content, degree of oxygenation, hydrodynamic energy and dearth of food. These environmental factors controlled the vertical distribution of trace fossils in Parahio Formation. The occurrence of Cruziana ichnoassociation much below the Middle Cambrian trilobite horizon in the Parahio Formation restricts the age of this part of the formation to the pre-Middle Cambrian, probably series 2 of Cambrian system.     

Paleoecological significance of the trace fossils of Dhosa Oolite Member (Jumara Formation), Jhura dome,Mainland Kachchh,Western India

Dhosa Oolite Member of the Jumara Formation comprises alternating bands of oolitic limestones and shales, exposed in Jhura dome of Mainland Kachchh, Western India. This sequence is highly bioturbated and exhibits a moderate diversity and behaviourally complex assemblage of ichnospecies. The rhythmically bedded sequence shows three different levels of preservation of traces. Epichnial tiering consists of moderately bioturbated oolitic limestone exhibiting horizontal or low-angle protrusive/retrusive biogenic laminae, commonly dominated by feeding structures like Rhizocorallium jenense, R. irregulare, Zoophycos brianteus and Zoophycos isp. The endichnial structures within the oolitic limestone can be separated into two different preservational trace fossil suites. The endichnial shallow suites consist chiefly of deposit feeders like Chondrites intricatus, C. targionii, Planolites beverleyensis, Taenidium cameronensis, Thalassinoides isp., Z. brianteus, Z. cf circinnatus and Zoophycos isp. and few suspension feeder forms like Palaeophycus tubularis; while endichnial deep suites consist of Chondrites intricatus, Skolithos linearis and Zoophycos isp. Hypichnial structures consists abundant, cylindrical, branched, horizontal, large-sized three dimensional feeding burrows of Thalassinoides isp. and somewhat irregular, obtuse angle ramification burrows of Phycodes isp., which are attached to the lower surface of the casting medium. The trace fossil association indicates Cruziana ichnofacies and abundance of Zoophycus species below the fair weather wave base level is largely a preservational artifact. The preservational processes of the trace fossils indicate soft substrate and diversity and their abundance reflects the other palaeoecological parameters of the open shallow marine environments.     

Paleoweathering and Paleoclimatic Reconstructions using Neoproterozoic Paleosol in the Eastern Margin of the Pranhita-Godavari Basin,India

Paleogene sediments of the inner fold belt, Naga hills, have very well preserved ichnofossils. 16 ichnospecies have been documented among 13 ichnogenera such as Arenicolites isp., Chondrites targionii, Cylindrichnus isp., Diplocraterion parallelum, Gyrochorte isp., Ophiomorpha annulata, O. irregulaire, O. nodosa, O. rudis, Palaeophycus tubularis, Planolites beverleyensis, Scolicia palaeobullia, Skolithos linearis, Trypinites weisei, Thalassinoides horizontalis and Zoophycos isp. The ichnofossil assemblages comprise mostly domichnia and fodinichnia benthos of the Skolithos and Cruziana ichnofacies. A shallow marine nearshore to offshore marine environment with fluctuating energy condition has been envisaged.     

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of quaternary sedimentation in eastern Sri Lanka: An ichnological study

Quaternary sediment deposits are well exposed along the eastern coastal margin of Sri Lanka. Systematic trace fossil studies along with sediment characteristics have been carried out for the first time to interpret the paleoenvironment that prevailed during Quaternary sedimentation in eastern Sri Lanka. The trace fossils Thalassinoides, Skolithos and Polykladichnus have been recognized about 5m above the present mean sea level. Features of the major trace fossil, Thalassinoides, indicate that it was formed by Thalassinidean shrimp Calianassa. Isolated, vertical to steeply inclined, cylindrical to sub cylindrical tubes with thin internal wall lining and inner wall striations of Skolithos and Polykladichnus show that they were formed by polychaetes. The typical characteristic of Polykladichnus isY-shaped branching with slight enlargement at junctions. Morphology and association of burrows as well as mineralogy, grain size and roundness of sediments indicate that the environment prevailed was marine soft grounds of the intertidal zone. Presence of preserved fine-scale features of burrows indicate that the bioturbated sandy tidal flat was suddenly exposed to the tropical environment due to sea level regression in Quaternary periods. Due to the microbial activities of wall linings, burrows were preserved and it was supported by other microbial activities that produced secondary iron bearing minerals that suffered subsequent oxidation. The bio-origination of red sediments of eastern coastal area of the present study can be used to interpret the debatable origin of the red beds found in northwestern and southeastern coastal areas of the island.     

Asterozoan ichnofossils (Asteriacites lumbricalis von Schlotheim) from the Middle Jurassic (Aalenian) Birdlip Limestone Formation (north Cotswolds,central England)

Well preserved asterozoan ichnofossils (Asteriacites lumbricalis von Schlotheim) are documented from calcareous sandstone lenses within the upper part of the Harford Member of the Middle Jurassic (Aalenian) Birdlip Limestone Formation, in the north Cotswolds, central England. The ichnofossils are interpreted as undertraces, generated by the activity of small ophiuroids in a storm-influenced muddy coastal lagoon or bay margin setting.     

Characteristics of the Middle Cenomanian rhythmic sequence from Mount Selbukhra in southwest Crimea

New lithological, ichnological, and isotope data are given for the rhythm from the section of the Middle Cenomanian rhythmic sequence at Mount Selbukhra. The intense rock bioturbation has distinct multistage structure that is typical of writing chalk sections and corresponds to the Cruziana ichnofacies that are characteristic of the soft grounds of the open shelf. The values of the ??¹³C and ??¹⁸O ratios in ichnofossils contradicts the model of the farming structures for the Chondrites and Zoophycos and indicate the passive infilling of Thalassinoides burrows by sediments. It was established that organic-rich marlstones accumulated under higher bioproductivity and the bottom anoxia were augmented by dissolution cycles. Based on our data, it is not possible to relate the rhythmicity to the precession cycles with confidence.     

Thalassinoides in the Middle Miocene succession at Siwa Oasis,northwestern Egypt

At Siwa Oasis, the carbonate-rich Middle Miocene Marmarica Formation includes several firmground discontinuity surfaces, characterized by extensive burrow systems. These surfaces are confined to the boundary between the Oasis and Siwa Escarpment members in addition to several intraformational marine firmground discontinuities at several horizons within these two members. The marine trace fossils from all these discontinuities are represented mainly by the ichnogenus Thalassinoides. In all occurrences, Thalassinoides are characterized by a sharp erosional lower contact and grades upward into fossiliferous argillaceous limestone facies. Three Thalassinoides ichnospecies have been reported, including: Th. horizontalis Myrow, 1995, Th. suevicus (Rieth, 1932) and Th. paradoxicus (Woodward, 1830). They are mostly recorded as hypichnial/endichnial forms at the sole of fossiliferous argillaceous limestone facies. Rare exichnial occurrences are also recorded. Thalassinoides ichnospecies displayed considerable variations in their stratigraphic distribution, in addition to remarkable variations in their complexity and dimension. These variations are mostly reflecting environmental conditions prevailed during the trace-maker life. Paleoenvironmental interpretation of these burrows confirmed a well-oxygenated shallow marine environment with extremely slow or nearly nil rate of sedimentation.