Researchers from Jai Narain Vyas University have discovered Lockeia gigantus trace fossils in the Jaisalmer Formation near the city of Jaisalmer. This is not only the first record of such fossils from India but is also the largest Lockeia traces ever found.
Fossils are not only formed from the remains of an organism. Sometimes, an animal's interaction with the world around it can also be fossilized - called trace fossils, like the giant footprints of the dinosaurs or burrows of small mammals. Lockeia are a type of trace fossils that resemble seeds or almonds in shape. They are believed to have been left behind by animals like bivalves, a group that includes clams and mussels. These shelled creatures lived in various environments, from the deep ocean to shallow shorelines, burrowing into the ground for shelter. As they move, they move the soil or sand around, leaving impressions that are fossilised over millennia.
The creatures that likely left behind the great Lockeia traces were similar in size and shape to modern-day bivalves like the Plicatounio. These creatures lived in environments with lots of mud and sand, where they could burrow and hide from predators or search for food. Though researchers haven’t yet found the actual shells of these creatures in the Jaisalmer area, the size and shape of the Lockeia trace strongly suggest bivalves were the artists behind these natural masterpieces.
The Jaisalmer Formation is a 165 million-year-old geologic formation made mostly of marine deposits near the city of Jaisalmer. It includes a series of geological units made of sandstone and limestone - a type of rock formed from ancient sea creatures' shells and corals. The region is well-known to geologists for its rich history layered in rocks. The Lockeia fossils were discovered in the Fort Member region of the Jaisalmer Formation. This region has an assortment of rock layers formed millions of years ago, each layer representing different periods in Earth’s history.
Finding these traces in the medium-to-fine-grained sandstone of the Fort Member suggests these bivalves lived in shallow marine or near-shore environments, giving scientists clues about the conditions in ancient India. The finding also connects to global scientific research on similar fossils found in regions like Korea, where Lockeia traces have also been linked to Plicatounio-like bivalves. Discovering similar fossils in India helps scientists build a broader picture of how these creatures and their traces were distributed across ancient Earth.
This discovery adds to our scientific understanding of the types of environments that existed in India millions of years ago. These ancient seas were thriving ecosystems filled with various forms of life, including the bivalves that made these trace fossils. Moreover, because this is the largest Lockeia traces ever found, palaeontologists now have a treasure trove of information to gather to understand the behaviour and size of the bivalves that created them. Working with trace fossils like Lockeia requires piecing together information to form a complete picture of the past. The shape and size of the traces can tell scientists a lot about the creature’s behaviour. For example, the patterns and shapes of the traces might show whether the animal was moving or stationary, like when it was feeding or resting.
As we continue exploring, each fossil becomes a piece of a much larger puzzle, connecting us to the long and fascinating history of our planet. The research on Lockeia traces in Jaisalmer is just one step in this ongoing journey of discovery, unravelling the mysteries of ancient seas and the creatures that once thrived there.
This research news was partly generated using artificial intelligence and edited by an editor at Research Matters