{{Short description|Trace fossil ichnogenus}} {{Automatic taxobox | taxon = Asterosoma | authority = Schimper, 1868 | fossil_range = {{fossil range|Paleozoic}} | image = | image_caption = ''Asterosoma'' trace fossil | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = * ''Asterosoma radiciforme'' * ''Asterosoma ludwigae'' | synonyms = }} '''''Asterosoma''''' is an ichnogenus of trace fossils typically found in marine sedimentary rocks. These trace fossils are recognized by their characteristic radiating burrow systems, which often resemble a star-like pattern, hence the name ''Asterosoma'' (from Greek ''aster'' meaning "star" and ''soma'' meaning "body"). These burrows are believed to have been created by organisms living in the sediment, possibly deposit-feeding worms, during the Paleozoic era.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Sedorko |first1=Daniel |last2=Bosetti |first2=Elvio P. |last3=Netto |first3=Renata G. |date=January 2018 |title=An integrative ichnological and taphonomic approach in a transgressive–regressive cycle: a case study from Devonian of Paraná Basin, Brazil |url=https://www.idunn.no/doi/10.1111/let.12219 |journal=Lethaia |language=en |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=15–34 |doi=10.1111/let.12219 |bibcode=2018Letha..51...15S |issn=0024-1164|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fossil of the Month: Asterosoma |url=https://www.uky.edu/KGS/fossil-month/Asterosoma |website=Kentucky Geological Survey |publisher=University of Kentucky |access-date=2024-08-11}}</ref>
==Description== ''Asterosoma'' trace fossils are distinguished by their radial symmetry and complex burrow structures. The burrows often have a central tube with radiating arms that can be straight or curved, depending on the sedimentary environment. The morphology of ''Asterosoma'' suggests a behavioral pattern where the trace-making organism moved within the sediment to feed or escape predation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Seilacher |first=Adolf |title=Trace Fossils and Problematic Fossils |journal=Invertebrate Paleontology |volume=W |publisher=Geological Society of America |date=1975 |pages=38–177 |doi=10.1130/SPE121-p1}}</ref>
==Geological significance== ''Asterosoma'' is a valuable indicator of paleoenvironmental conditions, particularly in shallow marine settings. These trace a fossils are commonly found in transgressive–regressive cycles, where they can provide insights into the sedimentary dynamics and the behavior of ancient marine life. The presence of ''Asterosoma'' in the rock record can help geologists reconstruct past environments and understand the biological activity that took place during the deposition of the host sediments.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Howard |first1=J.D. |last2=Frey |first2=R.W. |title=Characteristic Trace Fossils in Nearshore to Offshore Sequences |journal=Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences |volume=21 |pages=200–219 |date=1984 |doi=10.1139/e84-023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Palaeoenvironmental Significance of Ichnofossil Assemblages from the Paleogene Sediments of Inner Fold Belt, Naga Hills, NE India |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12594-021-1577-1 |website=Journal of the Geological Society of India |date=2021|doi=10.1007/s12594-021-1577-1 |doi-broken-date=11 July 2025 }}</ref>
==Fossil record== ''Asterosoma'' trace fossils have been recorded in various locations worldwide, with notable occurrences in Devonian strata of the Paraná Basin, Brazil, and other Paleozoic formations. These fossils are often associated with other ichnogenera, contributing to a broader understanding of the ecological interactions within ancient sedimentary environments.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fossil of the Month: Asterosoma |url=https://www.uky.edu/KGS/fossil-month/Asterosoma |website=Kentucky Geological Survey |publisher=University of Kentucky |access-date=2024-08-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Martino |first=R.L. |title=Trace Fossils from Pennsylvanian Strata of the Appalachian Basin |journal=Geological Society of America |date=1996 |volume=314 |pages=145–162 |doi=10.1130/1996.2314(06)|doi-broken-date=11 July 2025 }}</ref>
==See also== * Ichnology
==References== {{Reflist}}
== Further reading == *{{cite journal |last1=Sayin |first1=Ahmet |year=2017 |title=HALKLA İLİŞKİLER TOPLUMU VE GÜVENLİK HİZMETLERİ, TOPLUM DESTEKLİ POLİSLİK ÖRNEĞİ |journal=Social Sciences Studies Journal |volume=3 |issue=11 |pages=1739–1748 |doi=10.26449/sssj.228 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321872184}}
==External links== * [http://www.clastics.com/ichnogenera.htm Chuck D. Howell's Ichnogenera Photos]
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Category:Trace fossils Category:Paleozoic life Category:Ichnology