First record of the ichnofossil Atollites from the Late Cretaceous of the Northern Apennines, Italy

A new radial trace fossil, Atollites italicum ichnosp. nov., is reported from Upper Cretaceous sediments of the Northern Apennines (Italy). It is made up of several cylinder−club systems, which are interpreted as radiating in a possible faint spiral pattern from a central shaft. The pre−diagenetic reconstruction of the Atollites structure is attempted for the first time. The trace fossil may be attributed to small crustaceans or, less probably, it represents a feeding burrow of other deposit feeders.