A University of Alberta graduate student who made an intriguing fossil find during a course ended up identifying the fossilized tracks of a newly discovered wood-boring organism in a new study.
“Apectoichnus lignummasticans is unique in that it is only the third wood-boring trace fossil associated with marine environments,” explained Scott Melnyk, graduate student with the Faculty of Science and member of the Ichnology Research Group.
Trace fossils—which include tracks, burrows and tunnels—are the fossilized evidence of the activities of past life, explained Melnyk, who conducted the research under the supervision of professor Murray Gingras.
Continue reading at University of Alberta.
Image via Scott Melnyk.