Trace fossils from Silurian slope deposits, North Greenland

Abstract

Nine ichnospecies are recorded from the lower part of the Wulff Land Formation (Early Wenlock) on the east side of the valley north of Apollo Sø in Wulff Land, western North Greenland. There, the formation consists of a siliciclastic slope sequence of dark grey mudstones interbedded with subordinate siltstones and sandstones. The trace fossils are: cf. Chondrites ichnosp., Gordia marina, Helminthopsis ichnosp., Megagrapton irregulare, Muensteria ichnosp., Neonereites multiserialis ichnosp. nov., Nereites jacksoni, Paleodictyon (Glenodictyon) imperfectum and Paleodictyon ichnosp. In addition to containing a new ichnospeciesy the assemblage documents only the second detailed account of trace fossils in Lower Palaeozoic slope sequences; most of the ichnospecies have not been recorded previously in such sequences.