Climachtichnites

Climactichnites, named by Sir William Logan in 1860 for fossils in the Potsdam Sandstone in Perth Ontario, are known to occur in Quebec, Ontario, New York, Missouri and Wisconsin (Yochelson and Fedonkin, 1991). At present, Climactichnites, does not appear related to any known phylum (Yochelson and Fedonkin, 1993). Interestingly, while the origin of Climactichnites remains uncertain, Climactichnites may be considered as an excellent index fossils, occurring only in quartz sandstones of Late Cambrian (~510 Ma) time.

Climactichnites fossils resemble the impression produced by bicycle tires on wet beach sand. In fact, this is a good analogy,  Climactichnites only occur in wet, well-sorted quartz arenites ("clean sand") from the near shore environment. 

Various hypotheses have been proposed for the origin of these fossils. Over the past 150 years, researchers have considered that these tantalizing fossils may have been produced by organisms such as annelids, gastropods, trilobites, crustaceans, eurypterids, algae. In most cases, researchers assumed that an organism crawled from the sea to the beach environment dragging along its body and appendages. Cruziana and Diplichnites are two trace fossils believed to be derived from trilobites (http://www.aloha.net/~smgon/trace.htm)

Climactichnites: are these trace fossils or soft bodied imprints? While most researchers have considered these fossils to be ichnofossils, that is, traces, tracks and trails rather than the actual fossilized remains of an organism, new research questions this long held assumption. Dan Damrow suggests that the fossils from Krukowski Quarry may be the preserved remains of the soft-bodied organism (Damrow, personal communication). 

The above two photographs contain numerous criss-crossing "trails" of climachtichnites. The relationship between the crossing fossil trails may help determine whether these are ichnofossils or soft-bodied remains.

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