{"title":"Avian diversity and behavior in an Eocene coastal plain, Svalbard: the ichnological evidence","authors":"Ricardo N. Melchor, A. Uchman, R. Steel","doi":"10.1080/10420940.2020.1744583","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract This study presents an ichnotaxonomical assessment of bird footprints from a coastal plain setting in the Eocene lower to middle Aspelintoppen Formation in Brongniartfjellet and Storvola, Svalbard. These footprints are unique evidence for Paleogene birds from Svalbard and the second evidence of Paleogene avifauna of the Arctic (along with scarce fossil remains from Ellesmere Island). The analyzed footprints are assigned to six ichnotaxa belonging to three ichnofamilies: Aquatilavipes isp., avian footprint morphotype A and B (ichnofamily Avipedidae); Gruipeda cf. G. abeli, Gruipeda cf. G. dominguensis (ichnofamily Gruipedidae); and Gyeongsangornipes isp. (ichnofamily unknown). Associated invertebrate ichnofossils include Helminthoidichnites tenuis, Cochlichnus anguineus, and Helminthopsis isp. The avian footprints reflect small, medium-sized and rare large birds that can be morphologically compared to those of modern relatives including crane, heron, plover, moorhen, gallinule, oystercatcher and curlew. It is also proposed that in situ sets of shorebird footprints showing a preferred orientation, not composing trackways and showing overprinting, can be used as an indicator of the position and orientation of the shoreline.","PeriodicalId":51057,"journal":{"name":"Ichnos-An International Journal for Plant and Animal Traces","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.8000,"publicationDate":"2020-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ichnos-An International Journal for Plant and Animal Traces","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10420940.2020.1744583","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"PALEONTOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1
Abstract
Abstract This study presents an ichnotaxonomical assessment of bird footprints from a coastal plain setting in the Eocene lower to middle Aspelintoppen Formation in Brongniartfjellet and Storvola, Svalbard. These footprints are unique evidence for Paleogene birds from Svalbard and the second evidence of Paleogene avifauna of the Arctic (along with scarce fossil remains from Ellesmere Island). The analyzed footprints are assigned to six ichnotaxa belonging to three ichnofamilies: Aquatilavipes isp., avian footprint morphotype A and B (ichnofamily Avipedidae); Gruipeda cf. G. abeli, Gruipeda cf. G. dominguensis (ichnofamily Gruipedidae); and Gyeongsangornipes isp. (ichnofamily unknown). Associated invertebrate ichnofossils include Helminthoidichnites tenuis, Cochlichnus anguineus, and Helminthopsis isp. The avian footprints reflect small, medium-sized and rare large birds that can be morphologically compared to those of modern relatives including crane, heron, plover, moorhen, gallinule, oystercatcher and curlew. It is also proposed that in situ sets of shorebird footprints showing a preferred orientation, not composing trackways and showing overprinting, can be used as an indicator of the position and orientation of the shoreline.
期刊介绍:
The foremost aim of Ichnos is to promote excellence in ichnologic research. Primary emphases center upon the ethologic and ecologic significance of tracemaking organisms; organism-substrate interrelationships; and the role of biogenic processes in environmental reconstruction, sediment dynamics, sequence or event stratigraphy, biogeochemistry, and sedimentary diagenesis. Each contribution rests upon a firm taxonomic foundation, although papers dealing solely with systematics and nomenclature may have less priority than those dealing with conceptual and interpretive aspects of ichnology. Contributions from biologists and geologists are equally welcome.
The format for Ichnos is designed to accommodate several types of manuscripts, including Research Articles (comprehensive articles dealing with original, fundamental research in ichnology), and Short Communications (short, succinct papers treating certain aspects of the history of ichnology, book reviews, news and notes, or invited comments dealing with current or contentious issues). The large page size and two-column format lend flexibility to the design of tables and illustrations. Thorough but timely reviews and rapid publication of manuscripts are integral parts of the process.