Ichnofacies

Question 1

What kind of form does a resting trace fossil make?

Answer 1

Forms a depression in the substrate. The organism slightly buries itself in the substrate (it is resting, hiding, or waiting for prey).

Question 2

What kind of form does a dwelling trace fossil make?

Answer 2

Usually close to the shape of the organism.

Question 3

What kind of form does a feeding trace fossil make?

Answer 3

Highly structured systematic burrows as they are looking for food. Commonly a symmetrical pattern.

Question 4

What kind of form does a locomotion trace fossil make?

Answer 4

Walking/moving marks across the sediment, linear, missing structures aspect of grazing or mining

Question 5

study this graphic mapping where each facies would be

Answer 5

Question 6

Describe what you would typically see in a Trypanites facies?

Answer 6

-Cylindrical, u shaped, tear
shaped
-Suspension feeders, passive carnivores
-Moderately low diversity

Question 7

Describe what you would typically see in a Glossifungites facies?

Answer 7

Vertical, tear shaped or u shaped burrows
- dwelling traces dominate
- suspension feeders or organisms that leave burrow to feed
- low diversity but high abundance

Question 8

Describe what you would typically see in a Skolithos facies?

Answer 8

** LOTS OF VERTICAL BURROWS
- dwelling burrows predominately from suspension feeders
- low diversity but can be abundant

Question 9

Describe what you would typically see in a Cruziana facies?

Answer 9

***CRAWLING/LOCOMOTION TRACES, SLIGHTLY INCLINED (HORIZONTAL)
- mix of vertical, inclined and horizontal burrows
- mostly feeding and grazing deposit feeders
- high diversity and abundance

Question 10

Why do organisms line their burrows with pellets in the Skolithos facies?

Answer 10

to shore up the sides of the burrow, structural

Answer 11

** PATTERNED FEEDING TRACES
- low diversity, can be highly abundant
- grazing and feeding (deposit feeders)
- usually horizontal sheets, ribbons or spirals

Question 12

Describe what you would typically see in a Nereites facies?

Answer 12

• high diversity, low abundance
• complex feeding, dwelling and grazing traces
• deposit feeders, scavengers
• weird shapes

Question 13

Describe what you would typically see in a Psilonichus facies?

Answer 13

• supratidal, so only once in a while getting wet
• foot prints of land animals
• root casts