Non-marine ?Late Silurian-Early Devonian trace fossils, Darling Basin, western New South Wales

Abstract

An ichnofauna consisting of four types of trackways and five types of traces, largely made by arthropods, was discovered in the ?Late Silurian-Early Devonian Mt Daubeny Formation in western New South Wales. The trackways include forms of Diplichnites gouldi, Merostomichnites strandi (most common) and Palmichnium antarticum (form A), and the traces include Cruziana sp. Didymaulichnus lyelli, Didplodichnus biformis, Planolites sp. and Rusophysus sp. The formation, >6 km thick, was deposited during semi-arid and humid climates in a terminal fan environment. The discovery of Palmichnium antarticum (form B) from the Givetian Gum Creek beds at Moona Vale Station is also reported.

Key words:

• arthropod trace fossils
• Diplichnites ichnoguild
• terminal fans
• Devonian
• Darling Basin
• western New South Wales