Move, burrow, feed - repeat! A compound trace fossil from the Solnhofen Plattenkalke possibly made by holothurians

摘要

Bromlichnus bromleyin.igen. n.isp., a compound trace fossil consisting of two segments representing dwelling and feeding, is described. Owing to a concentric spreite in a bow-shaped burrow,B. bromleyiis interpreted as made by holothurians. In most cases, it is connected to a repichnion. The new ichnotaxon derives from the narrow Pfalzpaint Subbasin of the Solnhofen archipelago (Upper Jurassic, SE Germany), interpreted as a tidal channel connecting two basins. The interrelationships of different behaviours reflected in compound trace fossils allow holistic analysis of the work of individual animals, enabling more accurate interpretation of tracemaker anatomy and function.