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Abstract
Undichna quadrisulcata isp. nov. is described from the Eocene of Spitsbergen, where it occurs together with xiphosuran (horseshoe crabs) traces in upper shoreface to foreshore deltaic sandstone. This is the first record of a marine (deltaic) Undichna from the Eocene. The trail consists of two or three pairs of paralleling sinusoidal grooves (in epirelief) or ridges (in hyporelief). Previous records of this trace fossil from the Carboniferous and Permian were assigned to U. insolentia Anderson, Citation1976, which, however, comprises a more complex pattern. The repeated occurrence of U. quadrisulcata isp. nov. in the Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic and Eocene, independent from U. insolentia, justifies its own ichnospecies name and suggests a different kind of producer. U. quadrisulcata isp. nov. is interpreted as a fish trail, probably produced by a representative of Amiiformes (actinopterygian, ray-finned fish) or coelacanth fish.
Acknowledgments
I am indebted to William Helland-Hansen (University of Bergen) and Snorre Olaussen (University in Svalbard) who led the field expeditions and introduced me to the study area. Sten-Andreas Grundvåg (University of Tromsø) is thanked for guidance in the field and discussion about the Battfjellet Formation. Henk Oosterink (Winterswijk, deceased) kindly provided material and images of the Triassic Undichna. Equinor ASA allowed me to participate in the Svalbard field activities. Christian Neumann (Natural History Museum Berlin) kindly arranged the deposition of the slab with the holotype and paratypes in the Museum’s collection. The critical reviews by Roksana Skrzycka (Warsow) and an anonymous reviewer helped in the improvement of this article.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.