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Related Experiment Video

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Sediment Core Extrusion Method at Millimeter Resolution Using a Calibrated, Threaded-rod

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Graphoglyptid burrows in modern deep-sea sediment.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|January 18, 1980

Summary

Modern deep-sea sediments reveal complex graphoglyptid burrows, including Spiroraphe, Cosmoraphe, and Paleodictyon. These trace fossils, previously known only from ancient rocks, indicate horizontal tunnel systems just below the seafloor.

Area of Science:

Marine biology
Paleontology
Sedimentology

Background:

Graphoglyptids are complex, patterned invertebrate burrow systems found in ancient sedimentary rocks.
These trace fossils are significant indicators of deepwater sedimentary environments.
Their presence in modern deep-sea environments has been predicted but not yet confirmed.

Purpose of the Study:

To report the first confirmed discovery of graphoglyptid burrows in modern deep-sea sediments.
To characterize the morphology and depositional context of these modern burrows.

Main Methods:

Analysis of box cores from modern deep-sea sediment samples.
Identification and documentation of trace fossils, specifically graphoglyptids like Spiroraphe, Cosmoraphe, and Paleodictyon.

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Examination of burrow systems as grooves on the surface of washed sediment cores.

Main Results:

Graphoglyptid trace fossils, including Spiroraphe, Cosmoraphe, and Paleodictyon, were identified in modern deep-sea sediment box cores.
These burrows appear as grooves on the sediment surface, indicating horizontal tunnel systems.
The systems were found just a few millimeters below the sediment-water interface.

Conclusions:

The study confirms the existence of graphoglyptid burrowing organisms in the modern deep sea.
This finding validates the use of graphoglyptids as reliable indicators of deepwater environments in the ancient fossil record.
The discovery provides new insights into the behavior and ecological significance of deep-sea invertebrates.