Paleoecologic Implications of Ichnofossils Associated with Slightly Skeletonized Body Fossils, Middle Cambrian of the Barrandian Area, Czech Republic

Abstract

Several sites of the Middle Cambrian Jince and Buchava formations (Barrandian area, Czech Republic), showing features of Burgess Shale-type preservation, yielded diverse ichnofossils adjacent to non- or poorly biomineralized body fossils of arthropods, and less commonly, acrotretid brachiopods. Based on morphology, Gordia-like, Cochlichnus-like, Planolites-like, Treptichnus-like and Pilichnus-like traces occur with “nondescript” bioturbation. Ethologically, the Gordia-like and Cochlichnus-like traces are interpreted as single-use traces of feeding on microbial halo. Treptichnus-like and Pilichnus-like traces suggest later feeding systems associated also with feeding on microbial halo, and Planolites-like traces likely represent a fortuitous feature.

Keywords:

• Middle Cambrian
• Ichnofossils
• Slightly skeletonized fauna
• Barrandian area
• Czech Republic

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was supported by MSM 0021620855 and the Czech Science Foundation through the Project No. 205/09/1521. It is a part of the Research Program of the Institute of Geology, AS CR, No. 301305516. We thank M. Gabriela Mángano (University of Saskatchewan, Canada) for a thorough and constructive review of the manuscript.