Species

Helminthopsis hieroglyphica Heer, 1887

Taxon description

Kim et al., 2003

Remarks: The ichnogenus Helminthopsis is similar to other simple grazing traces, such as Gordia and Helminthoidichnites. It is distinguished from Helminthoidichnites by its tendency to meander and from Gordia by its lack of self-overcrossing (Pickerill, 1981; Crimes and Anderson, 1985; Han and Pickerill, 1995).

Han & Pickerill, 1995

Diagnosis: Helminthopsis in which the windings, normally wide and low, comprise straight segments interspersed with irregularly sinuous and variably developed segments. The tortuous segments may be bell-shaped but not horseshoe-shaped. The full course is commonly, though not exclusively, alternately winding and straight (modified from Książkiewicz, 1977).

Buatois et al., 1996

Description: Irregularly meandering, unbranched, horizontal, unlined burrows. Meanders are low and broad. The course of the trace is alternately winding and straight. Diameter highly variable within individual specimens. Length ranges between 42-81 mm. Diameter varies between 1.5 and 3.0 mm. Commonly, the burrow surface is smooth, but in some instances, transverse constrictions are present. Preserved as hypichnial ridges.

Synonymy list

1995 Helminthopsis hieroglyphica Heer in Maillard 1887 — Han & Pickerill , pp. 107, fig. Figs. 8B, 9A-E

1996 Helminthopsis hieroglyphica Heer in Maillard 1887 — Buatois et al. , pp. 294, fig. 8E

1996 Helminthopsis hieroglyphica isp. nov. — Wetzel et Bromley , pp. 15, fig. 5,7

1998 Helminthopsis hieroglyphica — Wentzel et al. , pp. 312

1998 Helminthopsis hieroglyphica Wetzel and Bromley, 1996 — Buatois et al. , pp. 157, fig. 4.5

2003 Helminthopsis hieroglyphica Wetzel and Bromley 1996 — Kim & Pickerill , pp. 48, fig. 4C

Classification

Organism group	Biota
Ichnofossil group	Ichnofossils
	Bioturbation trace fossils
Genus	Helminthopsis
Species	abeli
	hieroglyphica
	tenuis