History of Ichnology Tradition and Passing the Torch: The Cincinnati School of Ichnology

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Cincinnati school of ichnology derives from a lineage of researchers whose work spans more than a century of excellent ichnological research. In the latter part of the 1800s—studying the trace-fossil-rich Paleozoic strata of the Cincinnati area—Uriah James, Joseph James, Samuel Miller and Charles Dyer built the foundations of Cincinnati ichnology by collecting, cataloging and naming many “fucoids” that Joseph James later recognized to represent trace fossils and in some cases inorganic markings. Many of the ichnotaxa that these workers established are still valid.In the Twentieth Century, the Cincinnati school evolved through the work of Kenneth Caster, Richard Osgood and Wayne Pryor. These men contributed significantly to our modern view of ichnological principles. Using actualistic principles, Caster ably reinterpreted a range of trace fossils to represent limulid trackways, and revealed some stratigraphic aspects of trace fossil occurrence. Osgood conducted detailed analyses, provided superb descriptions and aptly engaged in ichnotaxonomy. Osgood understood that trace fossils represented the ethological activities of animals and even proposed that ethology should provide a basis for taxonomy. Most importantly, Osgood recognized the significance of Ediacaran trace-fossil diversification and prophetically postulated that key aspects of evolutionary history are preserved therein. Pryor employed actualistic studies of the sedimentary record, and integrated ichnological studies with sedimentology and stratigraphy in a profoundly modern manner, comparable to that undertaken by specialists today.The Cincinnati school research work was of such a quality that ensuing Cincinnati workers could rely heavily on this preceding work and so the efforts incrementally enlightened the field of ichnology. Importantly, all of these scientist were pedagogs: Uriah to his son Joseph and through his collaboration with Miller; Joseph James, a prodigious publisher and vocal critic of the classification of trace fossils as various seaweeds; Miller and Dyer, primarily as enthusiastic collection builders with high-quality published descriptions and who were avid fossil society participants; and Caster, Osgood and Pryor as academic teachers of the highest order, engaged in undergraduate and graduate student training, all of whom were recognized in various ways for their masterful teaching and training.The Cincinnati school is a fine example of the enduring influence that excellent collecting, describing, interpreting, documenting and especially teaching have in science. Even giants, it appears, can stand on the shoulders of giants and thus see even further.