Trace fossils from the Carboniferous of the Northumberland coast, north-east England

Abstract

Museum collections abound with undescribed, but significant specimens. A slab from the Carboniferous of north-east England preserves a moderately diverse and thought -provoking ichnofauna. Although the associated label calls the most prominent trace Scolicia, this reference to a post-Palaeozoic ichnogenus is not accepted. Rather, these trails, preserved as epichnial grooves, are assigned to Cruziana embletonia (Tate) comb. nov. These sinuous trails have a broad U-shaped section, with a median, continuous groove flanked by multiple, symmetrically developed, fine annulations. Other nominal ichnospecies are Helminthopsis abeli Książkiewicz and Neoeione moniliformis (Tate). Helminthopsis abeli refers to hypichnial string-like, irregularly meandering burrows. Neoeione moniliformis is unbranched, preserved on both upper and lower surfaces of the slab, and appears like a string of beads.