SCHAUBCYLINDRICHNUS HEBERTI FROM THE ZHANGXIA FORMATION (CAMBRIAN SERIES 3)IN HENAN PROVINCE AND ITS ETHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
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Abstract:
Trace fossils with thickly lined tubes are abundantly preserved in the Zhangxia Formation of the Cambrian Series 3in western Henan Province．The morphological features are described here by observation from several field sections and microscopic photos；they are I/J-shaped or flat U- shaped tubes in the vertical cross-section，which are thickly lined，and a bundle of tubes are usually packed by an irregular aureola．A single tube is made of three distinct parts：sparry calcite fillings， packstone linings，and microcrystalline calcite and dolomite aureola．Based on these morphological features，we propose that this trace fossil should be re-assigned to Schaubcylindrichnus heberti．According to the functional morphologic analysis， we hypothesize that the trace maker was capable of complex behaviors and survival strategies as follows：various feeding modes-deposit feeding during building burrow and filter feeding after completed construction；actively avoid adverse factors by constructing thick lining；and rapid growth strategy-building new tubes and abandoned the little ones unceasingly forming a bundle of tubes．Intensive bioturbation by the single ichnos-pecies of Schaubcylindrichnus found in Cambrian limestones shows that significantly improvement of biological behavior evolution and adaptation for hostile habitat．
