Coleicarpus sprinklei
middle Cambrian
Wheeler shale
Millard County
Utah
USA
 
Coldcarpus sprinklei and its associated fauna were probably rapidly buried alive in calcareous silt conveyed by storm-currents, as there is almost no evidence of disintegration due to transport (Ubaghs & Robison, 1988). Fine silt, clay and calcium carbonate originated from the carbonate platform to the north east, east and south east, and were carried by episodic storm currents down into the south-west sloping depositional basin (Rogers, 1984; Ubaghs & Robison, 1988)
The trilobites Asaphiscus wheeleri, Elrathia kingi and Achylopsis sp. are commonly found on exposed bedding planes which bear individuals of Cokarpus sprinkla’. The agnostoid trilobite Peronopk interstrictu and cross-shaped sponge spicules 5 mm to 10mm across are also abundant in many such bedding surfaces.