Abeliella procera Mägdefrau, 1937

Wisshak, Max, 2017, Taming an ichnotaxonomical Pandora’s box: revision of dendritic and rosetted microborings (ichnofamily: Dendrinidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 390, pp. 1-99 : 51-52

Abeliella procera Mägdefrau, 1937

Fig. 18

Abeliella procera Mägdefrau, 1937: 61 , pl. V, fig. 2.

Original diagnosis

n/a

Emended diagnosis

Dichotomous ramification in acute angles and with long internodes. Tunnels of constant diameter and slightly meandering course.

Original description

Entire cavity system ca 0.5 mm in diameter. Tunnels weaker, with slightly meandering course, distance between bifurcations larger, branching angle smaller, and thus overall appearance more slender compared to A. riccioides . [Translated from German]

Type material, locality and horizon

Traces in fish scale from the Oligocene Septarienton of Eöthen, Germany, deposited in the collections of the Institut für Geowissenschaften und Geographie, Halle, Germany ( MLU. Mäg1937. V.2). Because the scale contains several specimens of A. procera (syntypes), the most complete one ( Fig. 18B ) is hereby designated as the lectotype, which is in accordance with the original figure ( Mägdefrau 1937: pl. V, fig. 2).

Remarks

This ichnospecies is distinguished from A. riccioides by its significantly longer internodes, a slightly meandering course of the tunnels, and more acute branching angles.

Figures

Fig. 18. Abeliella procera Mägdefrau, 1937. A. Two specimens in the lectotype sample, a transparent Oligocene fish scale. B. Close-up of lectotype illustrating details of the dichotomous bifurcation pattern in the central part of the larger (upper) specimen in A. Note the spherical aggregates (fossil spores?) filling part of the empty tunnels. C. Large specimen, together with a small A. riccioides to the right, in a Hexanthus sp. fish tooth from the lower Maastrichtian of Rügen, Germany.