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Biogenic Structures of Burrowing Skinks: Neoichnology of Mabuya multifaciata (Squamata: Scincidae)

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Experimental Approaches to Understanding Fossil Organisms

Part of the book series: Topics in Geobiology ((TGBI,volume 41))

Abstract

Neoichnological experiments involving a species of tropical, ground-dwelling skink, Mabuya multifasciata, demonstrate the diversity of biogenic structures produced by medium-sized lizards. Although the majority of skinks are ground dwellers or burrowers, little is known about the biogenic structures produced by this most diverse group of lizards. The documentation of biogenic structures produced by M. multifasciata will aid in the identification of trace fossils produced by skinks, help to improve the fossil record of these difficult-to-preserve animals, and allow for more complete paleoecological and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Skinks were placed in terrariums filled with sediment of varying compositions and moisture content and were allowed to burrow. Open burrows were cast with plaster, photographed, measured, and statistically analyzed. The skinks produced seven distinct burrow morphologies including various ramps, U-, and J-shaped burrows. While there was no direct correlation between burrow properties and sediment properties, the burrows showed some variations due to the changes in sediment density and moisture content. The burrows had greater average complexities and tunnel heights when the sediment moisture was increased, whereas they had lower average widths and circumferences when the sediment density was increased. The data collected in this study can be directly applied to terrestrial trace fossil assemblages in tropical paleosols to better interpret their paleoecology and assess paleoenvironmental conditions.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Shahin Dashtguard and Dirk Knaust for their suggestions and comments that improved this paper. We thank Keith Milam and Gregory Nadon for their assistance, comments, and suggestions during the completion of this project. We also thank the Ohio University LAR staff as well as Thomas Antonacci, Nicole Dzenowski, and Dustin Horvath for their assistance in the lab. Funding for this research was provided in part by the National Science Foundation (EAR-0844256), the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (49387-UNI8), and a Geological Society of America Student Research Grant (9540-11).

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  1. Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, 45701, Athens, OH, USA

    Angeline M. Catena & Daniel I. Hembree

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  1. Angeline M. Catena
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  2. Daniel I. Hembree
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Correspondence to Daniel I. Hembree .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA

    Daniel I. Hembree

  2. Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi, USA

    Brian F. Platt

  3. Stratigraphic Research Section, Kansas Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Jon J. Smith

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Catena, A., Hembree, D. (2014). Biogenic Structures of Burrowing Skinks: Neoichnology of Mabuya multifaciata (Squamata: Scincidae). In: Hembree, D., Platt, B., Smith, J. (eds) Experimental Approaches to Understanding Fossil Organisms. Topics in Geobiology, vol 41. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8721-5_14

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