Taphonomy and Predation

Taphonomy of benthic organisms including benthic invertebrates, coralline algae and biogenic sedimentary components in general. Using exploratory (Ct scans, microtaphofacies) and quantitative (multivariate statistics) methods to track temporal and spatial distribution of presevation potentials. Studying the taphonomic and sedimentary origin of mass shell accumulations. Tracking predator/prey relationships describing wound morphologies on skeletal remnants as well as handling and foraging techniques of durophagous and shell drilling predators both in Recent and fossil environments.

Taphonomy and Bioerosion of Clypeaster from Catalonia (Belaustegui et al. 2013)

Predation borehole in the minute sea urchin Echinocyamus from the Island of Giglio (Grun et al 2013)

Porosity and bioerosion in Recent rhodoliths from the Island of Giglio (Nitsch et al 2013)

Müller-Garcia, I. & Nebelsick, J.H. 2024. Morphology and Taphonomy of Terebralia palustris from an archaeomalacological viewpoint. Facies. 70:13. 1-20. DOI: 10.1007/s10347-024-00688-9. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10347-024-00688-9

Rufino-Navarro, A., Alfonso, B., Hernández, J.C. & Nebelsick, J.H. 2024. Following the evidence; predator identification on the sea urchin Brissus unicolor (Leske, 1778). Marine Ecology.   DOI: 10.1111/maec.12844.

Tomašových, A., García-Ramos, D.A., Nawrot, R., Nebelsick, J.H. & Zuschin, M. 2022: How long does a brachiopod shell last on a seafloor? Modern mid-bathyal environments as taphonomic analogues of continental shelves prior to the Mesozoic Marine Revolution. Palaeontology. 2022, e12631. https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12631.

Mancosu, A., Nebelsick, J.H. & Buosi, C.  2022: Drilling predation on spatangoid echinoids from the Miocene of Sardinia: a taphonomic and paleoecological perspective. Journal of Paleontology, 96(5), 1132-1148. doi: 10.1017/jpa.2022.28.

Nebelsick J.H. & Mancosu, A. 2022: Fish Predation on Clypeaster humilis from the Red Sea: Potential for recognition in the fossil record. Contributions from the Museum of Paleontology, University of Michigan, 34, 12, 183-192.

Nebelsick, J.H., & Mancosu, A. 2021: The Taphonomy of Echinoids: Skeletal Morphologies, Environmental Factors, and Preservation Pathways (Elements of Paleontology). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108893411

Mancosu, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. 2020: Tracking the preservation potential of regular sea urchins in recent and fossil shallow water, high energy environments. Palaeontologia Electronica. 23(2):a42

Sievers, D. & Nebelsick, J.H. 2018: Fish predation on a Mediterranean echinoid: Identification and preservation potential. Palaios, 33, 1–8. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2110/palo.2017.041.

Grun, T.B. 2017: Recognizing traces of snail predation on the Caribbean sand dollar Leodia sexiesperforata. Palaios, 32/7, 448-461.

Bassi, D., Posenato, R., Nebelsick, J.H., Iryu, Y., Masato, O. & Domenicali, E. 2017: Bivalve borings in Lower Jurassic Lithiotis fauna from northeastern Italy and its palaeoecological interpretation. Historical Biology. dx.doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2016.1265956.

Mancosu, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. 2017: Palaeoecology and taphonomy of spatangoid echinoid dominated assemblages: a case study from the Miocene of Sardinia, Italy. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 466, 334–352, doi 10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.11.053

Belaústegui, Z., Muñiz, F., Nebelsick, J.H., Domènech, R. & Martinell, J. 2017: Echinoderm ichnology: bioturbation, bioerosion and related processes. Journal of Paleontology. doi: 10.1017/jpa.2016.146

Grun, T.B., Kroh, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. 2017: Comparative drilling predation on time-averaged phosphatized and non-phosphatized specimens of the minute clypeasteroid echinoid Echinocyamus stellatus from Miocene offshore sediments (Globigerina Limestone Fm., Malta). Journal of Paleontology. doi: 10.1017/jpa.2016.123

Grun, T.B. (2016): Echinoid test damage by a stingray predator. Lethaia, 49, 285-286. DOI: 10.1111/let. 12165

Grun, T.B. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2016): Taphonomy of a clypeasteroid echinoid using a new quasimetric approach. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 61, http://dx.doi.org/10.4202/app.00200.2015

Nitsch, F., Nebelsick, J.H. & Bassi, D. (2015): Constructional and destructional patterns – void classification of rhodoliths from Giglio Island. Palaios, 30, 380-391.Doi: http//dx.doi.org/10.2110/palo.2015.007.

Rahman, I.A., Belaústegui, Z., Zamora, S., Nebelsick, J.H., Domènech, R. & Martinell, J. (2015) Miocene Clypeaster from Valencia (E Spain): Insights into the taphonomy and ichnology of bioeroded echinoids using X-ray micro-tomography. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 438, 168-179. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.07.021.

Grun, T.B. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2015): Sneaky snails: How drillholes can affect paleontological analyses of the minute clypeasteroid echinoid Echinocyamus. In: Zamora, D. & Rábano, I. (eds.) Progress in Echinoderm Palaeobiology. Cuadernos del Museo Geominero, 19. Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Madrid. 71-74.

Grun, T., Sievers, D. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2014): Drilling Predation on the Clypeasteroid Echinoid Echinocyamus pusillus from the Mediterranean Sea (Giglio, Italy). Historical Biology. 26/6, 745-757.

Mancosu, A., Nebelsick, J.H., Kroh, A. & Pillola, G.L. (2014): The origin of echinoid shell beds in distal shelf environments: three examples from the Miocene of Sardinia, Italy. Lethaia. 48, 83-99.

Sievers, D., Friedrich, J.-P. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2014): A feast for crows: Bird predation on irregular echinoids from Brittany, France. Palaios, 29, 87–94.

Belaustegui, Z., Gibert, J.M. de, Nebelsick, J.H., Domènech, R. & Martinell, J. (2013): Clypeasteroid echinoid tests as benthic islands for gastrochaenid bivalve colonization: Evidence from the Middle Miocene of Tarragona (North-East Spain). Palaeontology. 56 (4), 783-796. DOI: 10.1111/pala.12015.

Grun, T., Sievers, D. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2013): Drilling Predation on the Clypeasteroid Echinoid Echinocyamus pusillus from the Mediterranean Sea (Giglio, Italy). Historical Biology, 6, 745-757. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2013.841683

Mancosu, A. & Nebelsick, J.H. (2013): Multiple routes to mass accumulations of clypeasteroid echinoids: a comparative analysis of Miocene echinoid beds of Sardinia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 374, 173–186. DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.01.015