Progress in Ichnology--Study of Animal Spoor: ABSTRACT

Abstract

Trace fossils--the tracks, trails, burrows, borings, and other spoor made by ancient organisms--are difficult to identify and classify phylogenetically but can be assigned relatively easily to various taxonomical, behavioral, and preservational categories. Analyses of these aspects of spoor can yield considerable information that is potentially very useful in geology. The most significant contribution of spoor to date has been in paleoecology and environmental reconstructions, including recognition of local and regional-temporal facies changes and documentation of individual paleoecologic parameters. Spoor are potentially valuable indicators of bathymetry, currents, food supplies, aeration, rate of deposition, depositional history, and substrate stability; they also may be useful to some extent in establishing ancient temperature and salinity regimes. The chief contribution of spoor to paleontology is partial resolution of problem of the incomplete fossil This includes, inasmuch as possible, the identity, behavioral patterns, and certain evolutionary trends among ancient organisms not otherwise represented in the fossil record. Reconstruction of diversity and trophic relations is important and generally feasible. Trace-making animals are important sedimentologically because they destroy previous sedimentary structures and fabrics and produce new structures and fabrics. Spoor have certain potential even in biostratigraphy and local correlations. Many trace fossils are excellent geopetals. Ichnology--the study of spoor--has developed slowly relative to other branches of geology, but the subdiscipline is now on the threshold of widespread acceptance and considerably increased application. End_of_Article - Last_Page 339------------