The shorebird ichnofacies: an example from the Miocene of southern Spain

• Published in: Geological Magazine
• Main Authors: DOYLE, PETER, WOOD, JASON L., GEORGE, GARETH T.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2000
• Subjects: Geology; Lamperein; Antarc*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0016756800004490; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0016756800004490

The Late Miocene Sorbas Member of the Sorbas Basin, Almería Province, southeast Spain contains an extensive avian ichnofauna preserved in lagoonal marls. Three distinctive avian ichnotaxa can be identified: Antarctichnus fuenzalidae Covacevich and Lamperein, 1970; Iranipeda millumi n. ichnosp.; and Roepichnus grahami n. ichnogen, n. ichnosp. In common with many other Cenozoic avian ichnofaunas, these traces are associated with shorebirds, including plovers, storks, ducks and/or gulls, respectively. Associated mammalian tracks include possible cat and artiodactyl footprints. The avian tracks are abundant and show a range of behavioural aspects in common with other recorded examples of Cretaceous–Recent shorebird tracks. These include both solitary and group activities consistent with their postulated avian tracemakers.