Asteriacites Explained

Asteriacites is a type of five-rayed trace fossil found in marine sedimentary rocks. It records the burrows of ophiuroid and asteroid sea stars on the sea floor. Asteriacites is found in European and American rocks, from the Ordovician period onwards, and is especially numerous in the Triassic and Jurassic systems.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Dense assemblages of Asteriacites (Asteriacites beds') are considered proxies for marine settings, low bioturbation intensity, shallow tiering, high sedimentation rate and/or event-bed deposition, significant levels of hydrodynamic energy, and low predation pressure.

Notes and References

1. Mángano. M.G.. Buatois. L.A.. West. R.R.. Maples. C.G.. 1999. The origin and paleoecologic significance of the trace fossil Asteriacites in the Pennsylvanian of Kansas and Missouri. Lethaia. 32. 1 . 17–30 . 10.1111/j.1502-3931.1999.tb00577.x. 1999Letha..32...17M .
2. Wilson. M.A.. Rigby. J.K.. 2000. Asteriacites lumbricalis von Schlotheim 1820: ophiuroid trace fossils from the Lower Triassic Thaynes Formation, central Utah. Ichnos. 7. 1 . 43–49. 10.1080/10420940009380145. 2000Ichno...7...43W . 129314190.
3. Baucon, A., Neto de Carvalho, C. 2016. Stars of the aftermath: Asteriacites beds from the Lower Triassic of the Carnic Alps (Werfen Formation, Sauris di Sopra), Italy. Palaios 31. Abstract available at http://www.tracemaker.com