Selenichnites (‘moon track’[3]) is a Cambrian to Jurassic trace fossil that has been found on every continent.[1] It consists of crescent-shaped impressions interpreted as resting[3] or burrowing[1] traces of Xiphosura (extinct relatives of horseshoe crabs).
| Selenichnites Temporal range:
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|---|---|
Trace fossil classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Order: | Xiphosura |
| Ichnogenus: | Selenichnites Romano and Whyte, 1987 |
| Type ichnospecies | |
| †S. hundalensis Romano and Whyte, 1987
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| Ichnospecies[1] | |
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| Synonyms | |
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The ichnogenus was originally named Selenichnus in 1987 by M. Romano and M. Whyte, but these investigators renamed it as Selenichnites in 1990 after it was pointed out that the name Selenichnus was already in use for a genus of reptile trace fossils.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b c Oukassou, Mostafa; Charrière, André; Lagnaoui, Abdelouahed; Gibb, Stacey; Michard, André; Saddiqi, Omar (April 2016). "First occurrence of the Ichnogenus Selenichnites from the Middle Jurassic Strata of the Skoura Syncline (Middle Atlas, Morocco); Palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental context". Comptes Rendus Palevol. 15 (5): 461–471. doi:10.1016/j.crpv.2015.09.013.
- ^ Romano, M.; Whyte, M. A. (November 2015). "A review of the trace fossil Selenichnites". Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society. 60 (4): 275–288. doi:10.1144/pygs2015-357.
- ^ a b Lucas, Spencer G. (2011). Traces of a Permian seacoast : Prehistoric Trackways National Monument. Albuquerque, N.M.: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. p. 22. ISBN 9780615471709.
- ^ Romano, M.; Whyte, M. (October 1990). "Selenichnites, a new name for the ichnogenus Selenichnus Romano & Whyte, 1987". Proceedings of the Yorkshire Geological Society. 48 (2): 221. doi:10.1144/pygs.48.2.221.
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