Upper Triassic (Keuper) non-marine trace fossils from the Haßberge area (Franconia, south-eastern Germany)

Various trace fossils from the Hassberge Formationand the Löwenstein Formation (Middle Keuper, Upper Triassic) of the Haßberge region are described. Twenty-three different forms have been identified, 17 of which are named, including Cruziana pascens n. isp., Lockeia cunctator n. isp., and Rusophycus versans n. isp. Lockeia siliquaria James, 1879, L. amygdaloides (Seilacher, 1953), L. triangulichnus Kim, 1994, and L. elongata (Yang, 1984) are revised and synonymized under the oldest available name, L. siliquaria James, 1879. Rusophycus eutendorfensis (Linck, 1942) and R. carbonarius Dawson, 1864 are revised. The diagnosis of Polykladichnus Fürsich, 1981 is emended, and a diagnosis for Helminthoidichnites Fitch, 1850 is given for the first time. Among the described ichnotaxa, Skolithos ispp., Rusophycus carbonarius, and Taenidium barretti are the most common forms. The trace fossil association is typical of the Scoyenia ichnofacies, which indicates non-marine, periodically or completely inundated environments, such as floodplains and lake margins. Two palaeoichnocoenoses are identified. One ichnocoenosis, dominated by Cruziana problematica, cf. Polykladichnus isp., and Skolithos isp. B characterizes margins of trough cross-bedded sandstones. Another ichnocoenosis, dominated by Rusophycus versans n. isp., Taenidium barretti, Scoyenia gracilis and Skotithos isp. A is related to ephemeral lake deposits. Taxonomic recommendations for the use of hitherto described and figured invertebrate Keuper trace fossils from Germany are given.