| Lithographus Temporal range: Permian–Cretaceous PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N | |
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Trace fossil classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Subclass: | Pterygota |
| Ichnogenus: | Lithographus Hitchcock 1858 |
| Ichnospecies | |
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Lithographus (‘rock writing’) is a Carboniferous to Cretaceous trace fossil that has been found in North America, South America, Europe, and east Asia.
The ichnogenus is characterized by alternating groups of three tracks arranged in an arrow shape. These are interpreted as tracks of cockroaches, beetles, or similar insects. The tracks are likely produced on relatively dry surfaces where the insect's legs do not drag; on wetter sediments, a more continuous trackway is created that is sometimes assigned to Grammepus.
References
- ^ Minter, Nicholas J.; Lockley, Martin G.; Huh, Min; Hwang, Koo-Geun; Kim, Jeong Yul (January 2012). "Lithographus , an Abundant Arthropod Trackway from the Cretaceous Haenam Tracksite of Korea". Ichnos. 19 (1–2): 115–120. doi:10.1080/10420940.2011.625756.
- ^ Lucas, Spencer G. (2011). Traces of a Permian seacoast : Prehistoric Trackways National Monument. Albuquerque, N.M.: New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. p. 22. ISBN 9780615471709.
- Keighley, D.; Pickerill, R. (1998). "Systematic ichnology of the Mabou and Cumberland groups (Carboniferous) of western Cape Breton Island, eastern Canada, 2: surface markings". Atlantic Geology. 34 (2): 83–112. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
- Getty, Patrick; Ward, Matthew; Simon, Jack (2021). "Grammepus Hitchcock, 1858: A sedimentary variant of the fossil insect trackway Lithographus". Annales Societatis Geologorum Poloniae. doi:10.14241/asgp.2021.09.
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| Lithographus | |
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