DescriptionTrace fossils in fine-grained sandstone (Henley Member, Borden Formation, Lower Mississippian; Tener Mountain roadcut, southern Ohio, USA) 4 (35866475175).jpg | Bioturbated sandstone in the Mississippian of Ohio, USA. This bedding plane surface is from the Borden Formation, a significant unit in the Lower Mississippian of Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. It represents an ancient deltaic succession. Prodeltaic, delta front, and delta top deposits are present in the Borden. Named members in eastern Kentucky and southern Ohio include (from bottom to top) the Henley Member (or Henley Bed), Farmers Member, Nancy Member, Cowbell Member, and Nada Member. Trace fossils are any indirect evidence of ancient life. They refer to features in rocks that do not represent parts of the body of a once-living organism. Traces include footprints, tracks, trails, burrows, borings, and bitemarks. Body fossils provide information about the morphology of ancient organisms, while trace fossils provide information about the behavior of ancient life forms. Interpreting trace fossils and determination of the identity of a trace maker can be straightforward (for example, a dinosaur footprint represents walking behavior) or not. Sediments that have trace fossils are said to be bioturbated. Burrowed textures in sedimentary rocks are referred to as bioturbation. Trace fossils have scientific names assigned to them, in the same style & manner as living organisms or body fossils. Stratigraphy: Henley Member, Borden Formation (formerly referred to as the Cuyahoga Formation), Lower Mississippian Locality: Tener Mountain roadcut along the northwestern side of Rt. 32 (= Appalachian Highway), just northeast of the Rt. 32-Union Hill Road intersection, just southwest of the Adams County-Pike County line, far-northeastern Adams County, southern Ohio, USA (39° 01' 12.88" North latitude, 83° 16' 43.16" West longitude) |