The ichnogenus Protovirgularia is an old but valid ichnotaxon name with a convoluted taxonomic history and interpretation. Originally erected as body fossil, it is now recognized as a trace fossil with a global distribution throughout the Phanerozoic. A wide range of tracemakers from the phyla Annelida, Mollusca and Arthropoda can produce traces with the significant chevron-like ornamentation, which have been classified in several ichnospecies. Modern analogues have demonstrated that protobranch bivalves are able to make such traces, which led to the general assumption that Protovirgularia represents a characteristic bivalve trace fossil. Examples of three ichnospecies of Protovirgularia from the Middle Triassic of Germany are analysed and show that Arthropoda (e.g., Isopoda) and Annelida (e.g., Polychaeta) must equally be regarded as potential tracemakers of Protovirgularia. This evidence comes from diverse lines of evidence having varying uncertainties, including functional morphology, modern analogues, and preserved producer. The fact that annelids and arthropods, in addition to bivalves, can be regarded as producers of Protovirgularia offers the possibility of utilizing this ichnogenus for enhanced palaeoenvironmental and evolutionary interpretations.

ichnogenus Protovirgularia是一个古老但有效的 ichnotaxon 名称，具有复杂的分类历史和解释。它最初是作为身体化石竖立起来的，现在被认为是一种遍布显生宙的全球分布的痕迹化石。来自环节动物门、软体动物门和节肢动物门的大量示踪剂可以产生具有显着人字形装饰的痕迹，这些痕迹已被分类为几种鱼类。现代类似物已经证明，原枝双壳类能够制造这样的痕迹，这导致了一个普遍的假设，即Protovirgularia代表了一种特征性的双壳类痕迹化石。Protovirgularia的三个ichnospecies的例子来自德国中三叠纪的分析表明，节肢动物（例如，等足纲）和环节动物（例如，多毛纲）必须同样被视为 Protovirgularia 的潜在示踪者。该证据来自具有不同不确定性的各种证据，包括功能形态、现代类似物和保存的生产者。除了双壳类动物外，环节动物和节肢动物可以被视为Protovirgularia的生产者这一事实提供了利用这种 ichnogenus 来增强古环境和进化解释的可能性。