Skip to main content

IMIS

A new integrated search interface will become available in the next phase of marineinfo.org.
For the time being, please use IMIS to search available data

 

[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

A new record of Gunnellichnus moghraensis from the Middle Miocene of Belgium, with some remarks on the origin of this seemingly uncommon ichnospecies
Collareta, A.; Bosselaers, M. (2022). A new record of Gunnellichnus moghraensis from the Middle Miocene of Belgium, with some remarks on the origin of this seemingly uncommon ichnospecies. N. Jb. Geol. Paläont. Abh. 305(3): 237-243. https://dx.doi.org/10.1127/njgpa/2022/1088
In: Jagt, J.W.M. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie. Abhandlungen. E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung: Stuttgart. ISSN 0077-7749, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Bacteria [WoRMS]; Cheloniidae Oppel, 1811 [WoRMS]; Fungi [WoRMS]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Antwerpen Member; Bacteria; Belgium; Berchem Formation; Cheloniidae; Fungi; Langhian; palaeoichnology; sea turtles; shell disease

Authors  Top 
  • Collareta, A.
  • Bosselaers, M., more

Abstract
    In spite of the common and widespread occurrence of turtle shell remains in many fossil vertebrate assemblages worldwide, only a few palaeontological studies exist detailing the occurrence and significance of turtle bone modification features. Among the few ichnotaxa that have recently been described from fossil plastral and carapacial elements of both terrestrial and aquatic turtles, Gunnellichnus moghraensis is currently only known from the holotype and five associated specimens occurring on a single plastron of the freshwater turtle Erymnochelys from the Lower Miocene of Egypt. Here, we report on new examples of G. moghraensis occurring on a marine turtle costal plate from the lower Middle Miocene (ca. 15.97 to 14.8 Ma) strata of the Antwerpen Member of the Berchem Formation at Berchem, near Antwerp, in northern Belgium. A scrutiny of palaeontological literature reveals that similar traces also occur on carapacial elements of the Upper Cretaceous cheloniid Allopleuron hofmanni from the Maastrichtian type area. The hypothesis that G. moghraensis and the allied ichnospecies Gunnellichnus akolouthiste represent the product of bacterial and/or fungal degradation of the turtle shell is here preferred to alternative explanations that involve the joint action of sessile epibiotic macro-invertebrates.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors