A comment on annulate forms of Palaeophycus Hall 1847: With particular reference to P. ‘annulatus’ sensu Pemberton and Frey 1982, and the erection of P. crenulatus ichnosp. nov.

The present paper reviews the position of annulate Palaeophycus, and erects the new ichnospecies Palaeophycus crenulatus for forms of the ichnogenus with distinct axially continuous annulations. With the exception of Palaeophycus alternat us, previously described annulate ichnospecies of Palaeophycus can be considered as nomina dubia (these include Palaeophycus annulatus Badve 1987; Palaeophycus anulatus McCann and Pickcrill 1988; and Palaeophycus serratus McCann 1993). P. crenulatus is recorded from the Carboniferous of northwest Ireland and the Jurassic of Greenland, where it occurs within shallow‐water marine environments. The ichnospecies is the product of an annelid, and may have been constructed for either the purpose of sediment or suspension feeding.

Key Words:

• annulate trace fossils
• Palaeophycus crenulatus
• Carboniferous
• Jurassic
• northwest Ireland