New Directions in the Study of Vertebrate Trace Fossils
A special issue of Fossil Studies (ISSN 2813-6284).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 624
Special Issue Editors
Interests: vertebrate paleontology, ichnology and stratigraphy of the late Paleozoic through late Mesozoic
Interests: paleontology, biostratigraphy and stratigraphy, especially of nonmarine deposits; vertebrate paleontology and ichnology, particularly of the late Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The study of ichnofossils dates back two centuries. Ichnology has broad significance in many fields of the geosciences, including paleoecology, taphonomy, biochronology, sedimentology, facies analysis, and evolutionary biology. There has been a renaissance of the study of trace fossils across the past decades, both ichnotaxonomically and conceptually. Notably, most recently, there have been synoptic reviews of all groups of vertebrate trace fossils. Therefore, there are now large databases for synthetic studies. In addition, new methodologies are being developed and are gaining more widespread use (e.g., 3D modelling, micro CT, AI) and changing the nature of the study of traces. Terminology is experiencing some flux, not only because of methodological advances but also because of the increasing interdisciplinarity of the field. Thus, ichnology is at a juncture of consolidated databases and new methodologies that will lead the field in new directions. The purpose of this volume is to discuss opportunities for new avenues of research and to review previous models. This volume will include ichnological case studies, methodological discussions, and critical reviews of models and concepts. Thus, this volume will both highlight new directions of study in ichnology and provide suggestions for future developments in the field.
Dr. Adrian P. Hunt
Prof. Dr. Spencer G. Lucas
Dr. Lida Xing
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- ichnofossils
- vertebrate
- trace fossils
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