Abstract

The Thalassinoides bearing calcareous sandstone and sandy limestones of Oligocene age unconformably overlay the Eocene volcaniclastic rocks and gradually pass into the lacustrine sediments (Miocene? in age) in the study area. These layers are dominated by Thalassinoides suevicus (Rieth 1932) in the Y shaped boxwork cylindrical and bifurcating burrows, which aremainly filled actively by trace maker(s). The bioturbations in the layers are categorized into five ichnofabric classes, which are equal to standard ichnofabric indexes of 1 to 5. Frequency of the ichnofabric classes are 40.37, 15.9, 8.85, 4.97 and 29.9 percents, respectively. Ichnofabric variations of the studied layers are arranged in seven bioturbated upward cycles, which are divided into two groups. The first group shows low ichnofabric fluctuations and a constancy in the bioturbation, where the second group shows high ichnofabrics fluctuations and variability in the bioturbation. Results from the study show that the Thalassinoides in the studied section formed in conditions similar to those of Cruziana and Glossifungites ichnofacies.