Ichnologic Note. Evidence of Predation on the Rugose Coral Calceola Sandalina (Devonian, Czech Republic)

0145703 - GLU-S 20033074 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Galle, Arnošt - Mikuláš, Radek
Ichnologic Note. Evidence of Predation on the Rugose Coral Calceola Sandalina (Devonian, Czech Republic).
Ichnos. Roč. 10, - (2003), s. 37-41. ISSN 1042-0940. E-ISSN 1563-5236
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA3013207
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z3013912
Keywords : corals * Calceola * Devonian
Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy
http://rzblx1.uni-regensburg.de/ezeit/detail.phtml?bibid=CASCR&colors=7&lang=en&jour_id=41560

A specimen of Calceola sandalina (Linné 1771) from the Givetian of the Czech Republic shows severe injury on its right side when observed from its cardinal side. Approximately onehalf of the counter side is missing between the counter septum and the alar corallite angle. The injury is healed within the calice, as visible also on deformed septa close to injury, while the outer flat ventral side shows no sings of healing. Ythe operculum is not preserved but the damage clearly must have affected it. It is difficult to envision how such damage might have occured by abiotic means in a rather low-energy environment without the influx of grains larger than silt. We consider the injury a result of attack by a predator. When speculating on the animal capable of producing such injury, one must consider preferably a vertebrate with strong jaws: fish-like animals capable of durophany (placoderms and chondrichthyans) appeared in the Devonian.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0043261