Trace Fossils from the Nama Group (Precambrian-Cambrian) of Southwest Africa (Namibia)

The late Precambrian to Early Cambrian Nama Group of southwest Africa (Namibia) has yielded additional trace fossils.The succession is divided, in ascending order, into the Kuibis, Schwarzrand and Fish River Subgroups. In the Kuibis Subgroup Bergaueria sp. is recorded. In the Schwarzrand Subgroup Brooksella sp., ?Chondrites sp., Diplocraterion sp., Nereites sp., and Skolithos sp. occur near the base while ?Diplichnites sp., Neonereites biserialis Seilacher, 1960 and N. uniserialis Seilacher, 1960 occur only high up, in the Nomtsas Formation. The Fish River Subgroup has yielded Enigmatichnus africani n. ichnogen., n. ichnosp., Phycodes cf. P. pedum Seilacher 1955 and Skolithos sp. On the asis of this material and the trace and body fossils described by Germs (1972a, b, c; 1973a, b) it is inferred that the Kuibis Subgroup is most probably Vendian, the Schwarzrand Subgroup below the Nomtsas Formation may be Vendian or Tommotian, while the Nomtsas Formation and Fish River Subgroup are at least as young as Tommotian and may be partly or entirely younger. Many of the trace fossils from low in the succession are exceptionally small. This may prove to be of stratigraphical significance but trace fossil dwarfing can result from unfavorable environmental conditions in rocks of any age.