PALAEOENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS OF ASTERIACITES LUMBRICALIS IN THE COSTE DELL'ANGLONE SINEMURIAN DINOSAUR ICHNOSITE (NE ITALY)

Massimo Bernardi, Fabio Massimo Petti, and Marco Avanzini

ABSTRACT

The finding of Asteriacites lumbricalis in the Lower Jurassic of the Trento carbonate Platform is here integrated with the sedimentological, stratigraphical, and palaeontological data for the Coste dell'Anglone ichnosite in order to better reconstruct its palaeoenvironmental setting. The presence of these traces produced by small ophiuroids support the interpretation, for this geographical sector during the middle-late Sinemurian, of a marginal-marine tidal flat environment. A marginal marine environment is also consistent with the documented existence of sedentary populations of dinosaurs recorded as footprints in the deposits that overlie those preserving Asteriacites.

Massimo Bernardi. Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali, Via Calepina, 14 - 38122 Trento, Italy.
Fabio Massimo Petti. Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali, Via Calepina, 14 - 38122 Trento, Italy.
Marco Avanzini. Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali, Via Calepina, 14 - 38122 Trento, Italy.

KEY WORDS: Asteriacites lumbricalis; Sinemurian; Trento Platform; dinosaur ichnosite

PE Article Number: 13.3.17A
Copyright: Palaeontological Association November 2010
Submission: 15 January  2009. Acceptance: 26 July 2010