Spirocosmorhaphe Seilacher 1989

DESCRIPTION: Nonbranched graphoglyptid traces with the sense of coiling changing at every primary turn, with secondary meanders that are interrupted, ending in juxtaposition. The interruptions appear in regular positions and correspond to loops in a plane outside the eroded surface (after Seilacher, 1989). Small Spirocosmorhaphe with 6-8 secondary meanders in each stretch of primary meanders, intervening stretches appear to consist of linked sigmoidal elements that alternatingly have shapes of letter S or a question mark in successive stretches. In many traces, hypichnial semi-relief, 0.5-1.5 mm wide.

BEHAVIOR(S): burrow systems served as microbial "mushroom gardens" and that their structural diversity served as a safety effect against usurpation by members of other species (Wetzel and Uchman 1997).

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS: Fully marine, deep marine flysch deposits

POSSIBLE TRACEMAKERS: Marine organisms, worms

GEOLOGIC RANGE: Upper Cretaceous-Eocene

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: Seilacher, 1989; Wetzel and Uchman 1997

REMARKS: