Protichnites eremita unshelled? Experimental model-based neoichnology and new evidence for a euthycarcinoid affinity for this ichnospecies

• DOI: 10.1666/11-056.1
• Publication Date: 2012-05-14T19:52:19Z
• Authors: Joseph H. Collette; Kenneth C. Gass; James W. Hagadorn
• Keywords: 01 natural sciences; 0105 earth and related environmental sciences

Protichnites eremita from the Cambrian Elk Mound Group of Wisconsin is reinterpreted based on new material and trackway experiments. Two forms P. suggest that discrete medial imprints these traces could be produced by segmented postabdomen euthycarcinoids same deposit. Form 1 have been a pair traveling together, like in limulid amplexus, where both individuals made with their postabdomens. In this scenario, if one individual held its to left side, it possible produce left-handed shingling trackways angled segmentation each imprint. 2 single animal arcing or tightly looping paths. Experimentally-produced yield morphologies are consistent forms. Thus, seems more likely was directly animal's body (alone paired) rather than employing hermit-like behavior.