LE3 .A278 1999

1999

Cameron, Barry

Acadia University

Bachelor of Science

Honours

Geology

Earth & Environmental Sciences

The Horton Bluff Formation (Horton Group) contains a variety of vertebrate and invertebrate surficial trace fossils from Tournaisian (Lower Carboniferous) sandstones and shales. They are best preserved as convex hyporeliefs on indurated sandstones. This trace fossil assemblage represents a record of life activity during the Toumaisian of Nova Scotia and may be used as an aid to the paleoenvironmental interpretation of the upper members of the Horton Bluff Formation. The present study concentrates on the identification and nomenclatural problems associated with selected fish, tetrapod, and arthropod-related material found mainly at Blue Beach and Horton Bluff near Avonport, Nova Scotia. Fish swimming too close to the sediment surface were responsible for sinusoidal traces left by tails, fins, and fin-spines. These trails are attributable to the Ichnogenus Undichnus Anderson. U. binum Anderson and U. britannicum Higgs are reported, along with one newly described form, U. septemlineatum nov. ichnosp. Numerous trackways attributable to the ichnogenus Paleohelcura Gilmore have been retained in that ichnogenus and not placed into the ichnogenus Protichnites Owen. Paleohelcura is considered herein to be a distinct morphological group and not a junior synonym of the latter. Paleohelcura carbonaria Dawson has been identified from the Blue Beach Member of the Horton Bluff Formation. Future revision may be warranted. Discovery and study of five-toed amphibian tracks lead to a re-examination of the holotype of the tetrapod trackway Peratodactylopus bishopi Sarjeant and Mossman. This revealed the presence of five digits on both the pes and the manus, not four as originally described. The original diagnosis and description are emended herein.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3194