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Ichnological evidence of a horseshoe crab hot-spot in the Early Triassic Buntsandstein continental deposits from the Catalan Pyrenees (NE Iberian Peninsula)

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Abstract

Purpose

Xiphosurids (horseshoe crabs) are aquatic chelicerate arthropods commonly related to marine environments. Although today only four marine species exist, in the geological record they were much more diverse (especially during Carboniferous and Triassic periods), and even inhabited non-marine settings. Here we analyze an exceptional xiphosurid trace-fossil site preserved in the lowermost Buntsandstein red-beds from the Early Triassic of the Catalan Pyrenees.

Methods

Ichnological and sedimentological analyses were mainly conducted during fieldwork. Fossiliferous surfaces were cleaned and mapped in order to recognize distribution and orientation patterns.

Results

Two main ichnotaxa were identified: (1) Selenichnites isp. (>400 trace fossils), consisting of a lunate, anteriorly convex lobe (prosoma imprint) followed by a rounded to triangular impression (opisthosoma imprint) and a posterior straight thin groove (telson imprint); and (2) Kouphichnium isp. (about 70 trace fossils), consisting of long (up to 2 m), often curved, complex series of parallel rows of morphologically variable tracks and imprints.

Conclusions

Selenichnites isp., interpreted as resting and/or feeding traces (cubichnia/fodinichnia), were mostly oriented against the current, preventing tracemakers being overturned. Kouphichnium isp. correspond to locomotion traces (repichnia). Trace fossils are found at the uppermost succession of fining- and energy decreasing- upwards fluvial red beds with no marine influence. These ichnofossils are the earliest Triassic evidence of life from the Catalan Pyrenees, and thus shed light on ecosystems composition at the dawn of the Mesozoic era, when biota recovered from the greatest mass extinction in Earth history.

Resumen

Objetivo

Los xifosúridos (cangrejos herradura) son artrópodos quelicerados acuáticos comúnmente relacionados con ambientes marinos. Aunque hoy en día solamente existen cuatro especies marinas, eran mucho más diversos en el registro geológico (especialmente durante los períodos Carbonífero y Triásico), e incluso habitaron ambientes no-marinos. En este trabajo analizamos un yacimiento excepcional de trazas fósiles de xifosúridos preservadas en la parte basal de las capas rojas del Buntsandstein, Triásico Inferior de los Pirineos Catalanes.

Métodos

Los análisis icnológicos y sedimentológicos se realizaron principalmente durante el trabajo de campo. Las superficies fosilíferas se limpiaron y cartografiaron para identificar patrones de distribución y orientación.

Resultados

Se han identificado dos icnotaxones principales: (1) Selenichnites isp. (>400 trazas fósiles), que consiste en un lóbulo con forma de luna y convexo en su parte anterior (impresión del prosoma), seguido de una impresión de forma redondeada a triangular (impresión del opistosoma) y un surco posterior, recto y delgado (impresión del telson); y (2) Kouphichnium isp. (alrededor de 70 trazas fósiles) que consiste en una compleja serie de huellas e improntas de morfología variable, que se disponen en hileras paralelas (de hasta 2 m de longitud) y que frecuentemente tienen trayectorias curvas.

Conclusiones

Los icnofósiles Selenichnites isp., interpretados como trazas de reposo y/o alimentación (cubichnia/fodinichnia), están mayoritariamente orientados en contra de la corriente; hecho que podría indicar la evitación a ser volteados por parte de los productores. Los ejemplares identificados como Kouphichnium isp. corresponden a trazas de locomoción (repichnia). Las trazas fósiles se encuentran en la parte superior de una sucesión granoy energético-decreciente de las capas rojas fluviales y sin ninguna influencia marina. Estos icnofósiles son la primera evidencia de vida del Triásico de los Pirineos Catalanes, y por lo tanto aportan nuevos datos sobre la composición de los ecosistemas en el comienzo de la era Mesozoica, cuando la biota se recuperó de la mayor extinción en masa de la historia de la Tierra.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Marc Cortina and Laia Batalla (Refugi Vall de Siarb, Llagunes) for their hospitality during fieldwork, and to Jordi Palau, Marc Garriga and Agustí López (Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu, PNAP) for logistic support. This research study is a contribution to the CERCA program (Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, ICP, Generalitat de Catalunya). E Mujal is financially supported by the PIF grant of Geology Department (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB). J Fortuny is supported by the postdoc grant “Beatriu de Pinós” 2014 - BP-A 00048. The project “La Terra abans dels dinosaures” (Ref. 57 641992013 03) was financed by the PNAP. Fieldworks were performed under the projects “Vertebrats del Permià i el Triàsic de Catalunya i el seu context geològic” and “Evolució dels ecosistemes amb faunes de vertebrats del Permià i el Triàsic de Catalunya” (Ref. 2014/100606) financially supported by the Departament de Cultura (Generalitat de Catalunya). We acknowledge the reviews of Andrew K. Rindsberg and Pablo J. Pazos, who improved the earlier version of the manuscript, as well as the journal editors Laura Domingo and José López-Gómez and the guest editors from the symposium Palaeobiodiversity and evolution in the Mesozoic world (XIV EJIP—1st IMERP meeting) for handling the manuscript.

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Mujal, E., Belaústegui, Z., Fortuny, J. et al. Ichnological evidence of a horseshoe crab hot-spot in the Early Triassic Buntsandstein continental deposits from the Catalan Pyrenees (NE Iberian Peninsula). J Iber Geol 44, 139–153 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41513-017-0026-2

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