MORPHOLOGICAL-STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND TOPOLOGIC TAXONOMY ON TRACE FOSSILS

A new taxonomy on trace fossils considering both the morphological and structural features is suggested. From mathematical and paleobiologic al viewpoints, all trace fossils can be ordered into five classes of t he hierarchy: topological ichnocategory, ichnofamily, ichnosubfamily, ichnogenus and ichnospecies. It is hoped that by means of this taxonom y, the effects such as tectonic deformation can no longer influence th e fossils' morphological analysis and the configuration complexities w ithin various trace fossils can also be compared to one another immedi ately.