INVERTEBRATE ICHNOLOGY OF THE NONMARINE LEPREAU FORMATION (TRIASSIC),SOUTHERN NEW-BRUNSWICK, EASTERN CANADA

Alluvial fan and braided fluvial redbeds of the Triassic Lepreau Forma tion of southern New Brunswick, eastern Canada, contain a moderately d iverse and abundant invertebrate ichnofauna. Fourteen formal ichnotaxa are recognized: Ancorichnus coronus, Ancorichnus cf. A. ancorichnus, Aulichnites isp., Cruziana problematica, Fuersichnus isp., Gordia mari na, Palaeophycus striatus, Palaeophycus isp., Planolites isp., Rusophy cus isp., Skolithos linearis, cf. Skolithos isp., and Taenidium isp. T wo vernacular ichnotaxa, ''inclined meniscate burrows'' and ''surface pit structures,'' also occur. All these ichnotaxa are figured and brie fly described. Collectively, the entire assemblage can confidently be assigned to the Scoyenia ichnofacies that, in the Lepreau Formation, r epresents a fluvial channel ichnocoenose. Specimens have been subject to marked taphonomic effects due to weathering and preservation in lit hologies showing either insufficient variation in grain size or a grai n size too coarse to preserve subtle morphological variations; as a co nsequence, ichnotaxobases are commonly obscured or obliterated. This m ay have influenced the apparent diversity of the assemblage, especiall y with regard to meniscate and simple horizontal burrows. It is propos ed that application of ''taphoseries,'' theoretical series including i chnotaxa that may potentially be mistaken for each other with increasi ng taphonomic overprint, provides a safeguard against ichnotaxonomic m isidentifications.