Occurrence of the trace fossil Zoophycos from the Upper Viséan Paprotnia Beds of the Bardo Structural Unit (Sudetes, SW Poland)

Abstract

This paper presents evidence for the first confirmed occurrence of the trace fossil Zoophycos from any geological unit of the Polish Sudetes. The Zoophycos specimens were found in the Lower Carboniferous fossil-rich Paprotnia Beds, which are located in the Bardo Structural Unit of the Sudetes. The beds belong to Goniatites crenistria Zone of the Upper Viséan and are thought to represent shallow-water platform deposits. Several dozen Zoophycos specimens were studied in detail, and two morphotypes (termed A1 and A2) of different sizes were distinguished. There was a marked concentration of Zoophycos trace fossils in the lower part of the Paprotnia section, the sediments of which we interpret as probably having been formed between storm wave base and fair-weather wave base within oxygenated water