New Mexico Geological Society Annual Spring Meeting — Abstracts

A small number of enigmatic vermiform fossils from the Upper Pennsylvanian (Virgilian) Kinney Quarry Lagerstätte in the Manzanita Mountains of central New Mexico have previously been documented. We add here an additional example to this record. The specimen (NMMNH P57873) is preserved as a part and counterpart on laminated calcareous shale from Kinney unit 3. Unit 3 contains a mixture of terrestrial and aquatic faunas. The specimen consists of an elongate fossil that is at least 60 mm long. It is likely preserved in dorsolateral aspect. There are approximately 40 regularly alternating dark and light transverse bands on the long axis. The dark areas are covered by a thin carbonized layer showing fine striations. The bands are about 1 mm wide and 3 mm long. There were likely more of these but the preservation is indistinct toward the presumed posterior. The other end of the specimen is relatively well preserved and we interpret this as the anterior. It shows three appendages extending from a relatively thick, light colored band. There is no indication of a separate head. The appendages resemble an onychophoran oral papilla and antennae. There are at least 26 irregularly spaced, cone-shaped appendages along the likely ventrolateral margin. These leg-like structures are about 2 mm long and about 1 mm at their base. They have no indications of claws, setae or aciculae. There were probably more along the length but the preservation is indistinct towards the posterior. The opposite margin, which we interpret as dorso-lateral, appears somewhat irregular. Several cone-shaped appendages can be seen along the posterior end, which may indicate that the specimen was rotated into a dorsoventral orientation along this portion. P-57873, despite the carbonized surface, lacks any recognizable structures that indicate it is a plant. It is more likely a segmented, soft-bodied animal. The conspicuous leg-like structures could be lobopodia or parapodia, which would indicate a possible polychaete or onychophoran identity. The overall morphology of the body is more indicative of an onychophoran.