Trace fossils from the Middle Cambrian Jialao Formation at Nangao Town, Danzhai County, Guizhou Province, China

Nangao Town, Danzhai County, Guizhou Province, is one of the areas in southern China where there are typical Cambrian sections. The described trace tossils, including Chondrites ichnosp., Beaconichnus jiaolaoensis (nov. ichnosp.), Bifungites ichnosp., Diplichnites danzhaiensis (nov. ichnosp.), Monomorphichnus taenia (nov. ichnosp.), Palaeophycus tubularis, Phycodes pedum, Teichichnus rectus, T.palmatus, are found from the Middle Cambrian Jialao Formation in the area. Comparative study of Beaconichnus Gevoers, 1973 and Qipanshanichnus Luo et Tao, 1994 suggests that the two ichnogenera are synonyms, being different parts of the same ichnogenus. The trace fossils of the Jialao Formation belong to the Cruziana ichnofacies of Seilacher (1964, 1967), and the Jialao Formation was deposited in a normal neritic environment with moderate hydrodynamic energy below the wave base.