Friday Field Foto #103: Diplocraterion trace fossil in Cretaceous strata in Utah

This week’s Friday Field Foto is a trace fossil called Diplocraterion from some Upper Cretaceous strata in Utah. Unfortunately, this photo is from my collection from several years ago (ca. 2002) when I wasn’t as diligent as I am now regarding keeping track of exactly where, both geographically and geologically, my photos are.

Diplocraterion is a vertical, U-shaped burrow with markings between the the main ‘limbs’ of the U. It is within the Skolithos ichnofacies, which are a group of trace fossil types that are generally vertical and found within sandy sediment and relatively high energy environments. It is thought to be a dwelling and feeding trace.

Diplocraterion trace fossil, Cretaceous strata of Utah (© 2010 clastic detritus)

To learn more about some common trace fossils, check out this set of slides I found (note: link will open a Powerpoint file).

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Happy Friday!