Trace fossils and ichnofabrics in the Upper Cretaceous red deep-water marly deposits of the Pieniny Klippen Belt, Polish Carpathians

Abstract

Skamieniałości śladowe i ichnostruktura w czerwonych, głębokowodnych osadach górnej kredy w pienińskim pasie skałkowym, w Polskich Karpatach Thirteen ichnotaxa were determined from Upper Cretaceous red deep-water marly deposits of the Pieniny Klippen Belt. Most of the ichnofossils occur in thin beds of fine-grained sandstone and mudstone, and the marls alternating with them, of the Macelowa Marl Member. Tubular forms of Planolites type are prevalent there, accompanied by Zoophycos which are restricted to the marls. Less commonly occurring ichnogenera are: Subphyllochorda, Scolicia, Taphrhelminthopsis, Spirophycus, Sabularia, Buthotrephis and Cylindrychmis. The low diversity assemblage is explained here by the little food storage in well oxygenated sediments and the soupy consistency of the sediment. Brick-red marls of the Pustelnia Marl Member are totally bioturbated and contain no identifiable trace fossils. This is a result of a very low rate of sedimentation, connected with the cohesionless nature of the sediment which decreased the potential for burrow preservation.