William A. S. Sarjeant

A history and bibliography of the study of fossil vertebrate footprints in the British isles

Abstract A comprehensive account is given of the discovery and study of the fossil footprints of vertebrates in the British Isles. Brief summaries are given of work published in journals that are generally available to the geologist at large; however, since many papers were published in obscure books and journals, the illustrations in these are reproduced and the papers themselves directly quoted wherever appropriate. A number of specimens important in the history of British vertebrate ichnology are illustrated for the first time; in particular, the holotype of Chelichnus ingens Binney (1856), the “Kegworth footprint” from Leicestershire, the supposed “monotreme footprint” of Seeley (1899), and the first Iguanodon footprint to be described from Sussex (Tagart, 1846). Illustrations are given for the first time of footprints from the Forest Marble of Wiltshire thought to be those collected by Scrope (1831), of a footprint from the Permian of Warwickshire, mentioned by Vernon (1912), and of a footprint from Caithness. The account is extensively supplemented by text-figures of principal footprint types and, so far as possible, the present whereabouts of figured or described specimens is indicated. (Many, unfortunately, are lost.) An exhaustive bibliography of fossil vertebrate footprints from the British Isles is presented. Particular attention is paid to the important discoveries in the Cheshire Basin by the amateur geologists of the Liverpool region. An account of the work of Henry C. Beasley (1836–1919), the most eminent British worker in this field, is given for the first time; his portrait, and photographs relating to his work in the Storeton quarries, are published for the first time. The stratigraphical and palaeoecological significance of the footprints is assessed wherever possible and reasons are presented why a more extensive resumption of work in this field is desirable.

The Genus Spiniferites Mantell, 1850 (Dinophyceae)

Abstract Following the recent official rejection of proposals for conservation of the generic name Hystrichosphaera, the diagnosis of its senior synonym Spiniferites is expanded in order to incorporate additional information gained since 1850 and all species according with the expanded diagnosis are listed (24 species are transferred to Spiniferites). The cyst-family name “Hystrichosphaeraceae” is replaced by the new name “Spiniferitaceae”.

The footprints of iguanodon: A history and taxonomic study

A historical survey of the discovery of footprints of iguanodont dinosaurs is presented, from the first reports in 1846 to the present. Reasons are given for considering the ichnogenera Iguanodonichnus and Camptosaurichnus to be problematical and respectively comprising the footprints of sauropods and theropods; consequently, no valid ichnogenus has been available to accommodate those of typical iguanodonts. The desirability of selecting a type series of Iguanodon footprints from the Early Cretaceous Purbeck Beds of southern England, rather than from the somewhat later Hastings Beds (Weal‐den), is explained. The new ichnogenus Iguanodon‐tipus is proposed; its type ichnospecies, I. burreyi, is illustrated and discussed.

Fossil Tracks and Impressions of Vertebrates

The study of vertebrate trace fossils constitutes the oldest branch of ichnology, although several problems have hampered its development and ultimate usefulness: obscure publications, inadequate illustrations and text descriptions, poorly preserved specimens that are easily overlooked or misinterpreted, and simply the lack of interest in the field shown by most vertebrate paleontologists. Nevertheless, vertebrate ichnology has much to offer paleontology, stratigraphy, and fades analysis, and these fields would benefit greatly by its increased use and refinement.

Lower cretaceous dinosaur footprints from the peace River Canyon, British Columbia, Canada

Abstract During a series of three expeditions to a part of the Peace River valley of eastern British Columbia shortly to be submerged by a reservoir, a rich assemblage of dinosaur footprint tracks has been recovered. These include a new type. Amblydactylus kortmeyeri sp. nov. comprises tridactyl impressions considered to be those of a hadrosaurid ornithopod; these footprints include those of juveniles, as well as of adults, and provide some suggestions of gregarious behaviour among these herbivorous reptiles.

Dinoflagellate cysts, Acritarchs and Tasmanitids from the uppermost Callovian of England and Scotland: With a reconsideration of the “xanthidium pilosum” problem

Abstract Four assemblages of fossil organic-walled microphytoplankton from the Upper Callovian (Lamberti Zone), three from England and one from Scotland, are described. They comprise at least 50 species of dinoflagellate cysts, 18 species of acritarchs and 2 species of tasmanitids. After a review of the «Xanthidium pilosum problem, a revised diagnosis is proposed for Sentusidinium pilosum ( Ehrenberg ) and three new species, Sentusidinium creberbarbatum, S. sparsibarbatum and S. erythrocomum are proposed. The new family name Scriniodiniaceae is substituted for the now invalid family name Endoscriniaceae. The new genus Escharisphaeridia is proposed to contain two existing species, E. pococki ( Sarjeant ) and E. dictydia ( Sarjeant ). The present content of the genus Compositosphaeridium is examined; the new combination C. polonicum ( Gorka ) is proposed and a new species, C. bulgaricum, is erected. One further new species of dinoflagellate cyst, Prolixosphaeridium anasillum, is proposed. The new term «peniplate is proposed for paraplates whose boundaries are penitabular in situation. One new species of acritarch, Solisphaeridium?rhachos, is described and the new combination Polygonium aster ( Sarjeant ) is proposed. Evidence for reworking of some of the species of Micrhystridium present in the Hackness Rock assemblage is noted, though it is considered that the majority of species in that assemblage are indigenous. It is considered that all four assemblages are derived from a single phytoplankton province, the differences between them resulting from environmental factors such as water depth or distance from a shoreline.

History and bibliography of the study of fossil vertebrate footprints in the British isles: supplement 1973–1983

Abstract This paper supplements the history and bibliography of British fossil vertebrate footprints published by Sarjeant in 1974. It discusses additional published accounts of these trace fossils issued during the period prior to 1973 and provides a resume of new discoveries and descriptions made during the decade 1973–1983. Important among the former are a record of a hitherto unnoticed Scottish Carboniferous find, reports of footprints found by the Rev. W. Lister and H. C. Beasley in the Triassic rocks of Statffordshire, a possible record of dinosaur footprints from the lowest Cretaceous of Wiltshire, a more definite instance from the Lower Cretaceous of Surrey, and a rather dubious one from Ulster. New discoveries include a first report of dinosaur footprints from Buckinghamshire and accounts of major footprint finds in the Triassic sediments of south Wales, the Purbeck formation of Dorset and the Wealden beds of East Sussex and the Isle of Wight; also the first record of dinosaur footprints from the Scottish Jurassic. New information concerning vertebrate footprints from the Triassic of Shropshire and new conclusions on the taxonomy of the Triassic footprints from south Wales are presented.

Organic-walled microfossils as depth and shoreline indicators

Abstract Evidence regarding depth and proximity to shorelines provided by four groups of microfossils (Chitinozoa, acritarchs, spores and pollen, and dinoflagellate cysts) is reviewed. Particular attention is paid to the use of the latter three groups in combination; published data is critically reviewed and new information, based on observations from the Niger delta region and from the North Atlantic Ocean, is presented. The use of reworked material as shoreline indices is discussed. It is concluded from the evidence presented, that much more data needs to be collected on a quantitative basis from both Recent and fossil environments before any positive use may be made of these groups; that they have, nonetheless, already shown their potential for indicating trends of shoreline; but that they are of doubtful value as depth indices.

Vertebrate footprints from the carboniferous sediments of nova scotia: A historical review and description of newly discovered forms

Abstract The discovery by W. E. Logan in 1841 of fossil footprints at Horton Bluff, Nova Scotia, was the first intimation of the existence of terrestrial vertebrates in the Carboniferous. An account of this discovery is presented and the history of subsequent work on Nova Scotia footprints by J. W. Dawson, G. F. Matthew and C. M. Sternberg is reviewed in detail. Present opinions on the taxonomic status of these footprints and their affinities with amphibian and reptilian groups known from skeletal remains are stated. Two newly discovered tracks are described. One of these, Anticheiropus bishopi ichnogen. et sp. nov., is probably that of a captorhinomorph reptile; the other, a very large track, appears to have been made by a massive labyrinthodont amphibian. The known occurrences of footprint tracks in the Carboniferous sediments of Nova Scotia are summarized in an appendix.

Plant Trace Fossils

Discriminating between plant body-fossils and biogenic structures resulting from plant activity is often difficult. This difficulty is a consequence not only of their modes of life but also of semantic problems and differences in viewpoint among various workers. However, structures resulting from plant activity afford important information both to ichnologists and to paleo-biologists in general, and merit fuller study than they have hitherto received.