Sulcichnus sigillum

Sulcichnus sigillum ichnosp. nov.

Fig. 4A–C View Fig .

Etymology: After the Latin word sigillum , mark, brand, referring to the branding iron morphology of the groove.

Type material: Holotype, MMPE /Ic003.001.001 (Parque Antena, Estepona) ( Fig. 4C View Fig ) . Paratypes, MMPE /Ic003.002.001 (Arroyo Vaquero, Estepona) ( Fig. 4A View Fig ) , MMPE/Ic003.003.001( Fig. 4B View Fig ).

Type locality: Parque Antena , Estepona Basin, E Andalusia, Spain .

Type horizon: Upper Zanclean (Pliocene) coarse−grained sand levels within conglomerates, Estepona Basin, Málaga ( SE Spain) ( Aguirre et al. 2005) .

Material.—Number of specimens: 1 from Arroyo Vaquero, Estepona; 1 from Padrón, Estepona; 1 from Parque Antena, Estepona; 8 from Velerín, Estepona ( Table 2).

Diagnosis.—Shallow groove parallel to the columella and bending 90 ° close to the calyx, to form a deeper, ring−shaped groove.

Description.—Shallow grooves ( 1 mm maximum in depth) that run more or less in parallel to the axis of the columella from close to the base of the corallite. They turn a sharp 90 ° to the left when reaching a point a few millimetres from the edge of the calyx, where they deepen (to some 2 mm) and run almost the whole of the perimeter of the corallite, thus taking on the appearance of a branding iron.

Remarks.—This trace has only been identified in the turbinate coral morphologies ( Caryophyllia and Trochocyathus ) ( Table 3). Some Recent specimens seen in the literature also follow this pattern.

Stratigraphic and geographic range.—Zanclean (Early Pliocene) to Recent; worldwide.