Lungfish Burrows

DESCRIPTION: Simple vertical to subvertical burrow consisting of a straight shaft, with or without a discontinuous wall lining, and a bulbous terminal chamber of equal to twice the diameter of the shaft. Surficial morphology on burrow shaft characterized by regularly spaced, thin, transverse striations.

BEHAVIOR(S): Aestivation (estivation)

ENVIRONMENTAL SETTINGS: Continental terrestrial; floodplains

POSSIBLE TRACEMAKERS: Lungfish (Dipnoi)

GEOLOGIC RANGE: Devonian-recent

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: Hasiotis 2002, Jones 2008; Jones and Hasiotis 2008,

REMARKS: Burrows constructed in freshwater aquatic environments by lungfish before the water body evaporates. The lungfish estivates in the burrow, which becomes part of the terrestrial environment. The lungfish leaves the estivation burrow if the water returns within 2–3 years, based on studies of modern lungfish.

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