Serpentichnus
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| Serpentichnus Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
Trace fossil classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | †Lysorophia |
| Ichnogenus: | †Serpentichnus Braddy et al. 2003 |
| Ichnospecies | |
Serpentichnus (‘snake-like trace’) is a possible Permian trace fossil found in New Mexico, US.[2] It takes the form of foot imprints separated by discontinuous groves interpreted as body imprints. It is attributed to early amphibians (Lysorophia) swimming near the bottom of a shallow body of water with a motion like that of a sidewinding snake.[1][3]
The interpretation of these marks as a trace fossil is controversial.[2] The marks have also been interpreted as tool marks, formed by a rotating piece of debris that periodically scratched the bottom of a flowing body of water.[4]
