Gastropod Grazing Traces (Incipient Radulichnus isp.) in the Godavari River, India and their Preservation Potential in the Fossil Record

Abstract. Grazing traces attributed to gastropods and classified as incipient Radulichnus occur on eroded surfaces of Permian sandstones outcropping along the Godavari River in India, far beyond marine influences. Presumably, they were produced during monsoon flooding approximately four months before observations, probably by the apple snail Pila globosa (Swainson, 1822) of the family Ampullariidae feeding on biofilms. Even after such an extended period of time, their morphology is still well preserved. This demonstrates their preservation potential, especially when buried by sediment, and also suggests that such traces can be found as fossils in ancient fluvial environments.