Burrows of the polychaetes Lepidenteron lewesiensis (Mantell, 1822) from the Upper Cretaceous of the Lower Volga region

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Abstract

Burrows of the predatory polychaete Lepidenteron with scales and bones of small teleost fish are first discovered in the marine Upper Cretaceous (Turonian-Maastrichtian) of the Lower Volga region. All these burrows have a similar structure and belong to the ichnospecies Lepidenteron lewesiensis. Bone remains and scales of teleost fish belonging to four taxa were found in the burrows: one Teleostei indet., two Clupeocephala indet. and one Dercetidae gen. indet. New finds of L. lewesiensis expand the paleogeographic distribution of the considered ichnogenus and ichnospecies in the Late Cretaceous and complement our understanding of the Late Cretaceous marine paleoecosystems of this region.

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About the authors

A. G. Sennikov

Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences

Author for correspondence.
Email: sennikov@paleo.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117647

A. V. Ivanov

Lomonosov Moscow State University; Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences; Tambov State Technical University

Email: sennikov@paleo.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119991; Moscow, 119017; Tambov, 392000

A. S. Bakaev

Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences; Kazan Federal University; Samarkand State University named after Sharaf Rashidov; Udmurt State University

Email: sennikov@paleo.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117647; Kazan, 420008; Samarkand, 140104 Uzbekistan; Izhevsk, 426034

S. Yu. Malenkina

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: sennikov@paleo.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119991

I. V. Novikov

Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences; Kazan Federal University

Email: sennikov@paleo.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 117647; Kazan, 420008

R. R. Gabdullin

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Email: sennikov@paleo.ru
Russian Federation, Moscow, 119991

B. A. Meliev

Samarkand State University named after Sharaf Rashidov

Email: sennikov@paleo.ru
Uzbekistan, Samarkand, 140104

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Scheme of the location of ichnofossil sites of Lepidenteron lewesiensis from the Upper Cretaceous of the Lower Volga region: a - Saratov Volga region, b - Saratov region.

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3. Fig. 2. The most indicative locations of ichnofossils of Lepidenteron lewesiensis: a - Akhmat (Turonian), b - Shcherbakovka (Maastrichtian).

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4. Fig. 3. General view of Lepidenteron lewesiensis burrows from the Upper Cretaceous of the Lower Volga region: a, b — specimen PIN, No. 5934/10, from different sides; c, g — specimen PIN, No. 5934/11, from different sides; d, e — specimen PIN, No. 5934/12, from different sides; Polivanovka-Shkola locality (Saratov Region, Saratov District; Campanian Stage, Pudovkinskaya Formation); g — specimen PIN, No. 5934/13; h — specimen PIN, No. 5934/14; Rechnaya locality (Saratov Region, Saratov District; Campanian Stage, Pudovkinskaya Formation); i — specimen. PIN, No. 5934/15; k — specimen PIN, No. 5934/16; Volsk-Rybnoye locality (Saratov region, Saratov district; Maastrichtian stage, Radishchevskaya (?) suite).

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5. Table X

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6. Table XI

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7. Fig. 4. Fragments of Lepidenteron lewesiensis burrows with fish bone remains: a–e — specimen PIN, No. 5934/7: a — general view; b–f — the same, structural details at higher magnification; g–l — specimen PIN, No. 5934/8: g — general view; h–l — the same, structural details at higher magnification; Rechnaya locality (Saratov Region, Saratov District; Campanian Stage, Pudovkinskaya Formation); m–p — specimen PIN, No. 5934/9: m — general view; n–p — the same, structural details at higher magnification; Razboishchina locality (Saratov region, Saratov district; Santonian stage, juniper ravine suite). Designations: r — radial and concentric grooves; s — scales; sc — lateral shields; v — vertebrae; small arrows indicate ctenia.

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8. Fig. 5. Fragment of a Lepidenteron lewesiensis burrow with fish bones (specimen PIN, No. 5934/1a) from the Volsk-Rybnoye locality [Saratov Region, Volsky District; Maastrichtian Stage, Radishchevskaya (?) Formation]: a — general view; b–k — the same, structural details at higher magnification. Designations: h — cranial bones, sp — fin spines; others — as in Fig. 4.

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9. Fig. 6. Fragment of a Lepidenteron lewesiensis burrow with fish bones (specimen PIN, No. 5934/2) from the Volsk-Rybnoye locality [Saratov Region, Volsky District; Maastrichtian Stage, Radishchevskaya (?) Formation]: a — general view; b–z — the same, structural details at higher magnification. Designations as in Figs. 4, 5.

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10. Fig. 7. Fragments of Lepidenteron lewesiensis burrows with fish bone remains: a–i — specimen PIN, No. 5934/3a, with articulated fish vertebrae, from the Rybushka locality (Saratov Region, Saratov District; Campanian Stage, Rybushkinskaya Formation): a — general view; b–i — the same, structural details at higher magnification; k — specimen PIN, No. 5934/6, with articulated fish vertebrae, from the Rechnaya locality (Saratov Region, Saratov District; Campanian Stage, Pudovkinskaya Formation). Designations as in Figs. 4, 5.

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11. Fig. 8. Modern giant predatory polychaete Eunice aphroditois (from: https://dzen.ru/a/ZOBkzkxMRDs3NixH).

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12. Fig. 9. Modern giant predatory polychaete Eunice aphroditois hunting fish (from: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9a/5d/c3/9a5dc3f4999bac4efdaf4a1acff20478.jpg).

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