Ichnofossils associated with slightly skeletonized body fossils, Middle Cambrian of the Barrandian area, Czech Republic

Sediments of the Middle Cambrian of the Barrandian area yielded several distinct morphotypes of ichnofossils preserved in a tight association with non- or slightly-mineralized animal body fossils, most often arthropods. These traces, in lesser diversity, were described from the Cambrian of the Barrandian area already in 2000 by the present author. Later, since 2006, analogous trace fossils have been described from classical Cambrian lagerstätten, namely Chengjiang and Burgess. The Barrandian finds document gradual development of complex behaviour of in-fauna during the Cambrian, especially the development of sediment feeding. It was probably the organic matter of bacteria and fungi, growing as a “microbial halo” in the neighbourhood of decaying arthropod skeletons that attracted a minute in-fauna to feed the sediment.

Reference: Mikuláš, R. - Fatka, O. - Szabad, M.: Paleoecologic Implications of Ichnofossils Associated with Slightly Skeletonized Body Fossils, Middle Cambrian of the Barrandian area, Czech Republic. Ichnos, 19 (2012), 199-210.

Contact: RNDr. Radek Mikuláš, CSc., 233087219, mikulasgli [dot] cas [dot] cz