Taphonomy and ichnofabric of the trace fossil Avetoichnus luisae Uchman & Rattazzi, 2011 in Paleogene deep-sea fine-grained turbidites: examples from Italy, Poland and Spain

The poorly known, helical spiral trace fossil Avetoichnus luisae Uchman & Rattazzi, 2011 has been investigated in fine-grained Paleogene turbidites in Italy, Poland and Spain. It shows a typical stratinomic preservation as endichnia and was developed in turbiditic mud and bioclastic deposits occupying the upper intervals (typically E3-F) of turbidite sequences. Other ichnotaxa occur in deeper levels (e.g., Alcyonidiopsis and Zoophycos in the Trasimeno area), while tree-like forms (e.g., Chondrites intricatus, C. targionii and Cladichnus in the same area), string-like forms (e.g., Planolites or Palaeophycus) and other undetermined burrows are usually found in shallower levels. The distribution of the ichnotaxa indicates an upwards increasing ichnodensity towards the higher intervals in many mud-bioclastic turbidite sequences. Detailed taphonomic analysis of 104 specimens of frequently branched Avetoichnus luisae has shown that a high degree of variation can be observed in their length, general shape, maximum diameter, maximum width of dots, shape of dots, dot distribution, spiral arrangement, central part (axis) and raised edges. These variations suggest that an unknown organism adjusted its activity (agrichnial or fodinichnial) using different strategies in accordance with changes in the turbiditic environment.