Large Theropod Dinosaur Footprint Associations in Western Gondwana: Behavioural and Palaeogeographic Implications

Moreno, Karen; Valais, Silvina de; Blanco, Nicolás; Tomlinson, Andy J.; Jacay, Javier; Calvo, Jorge O.

doi:10.4202/app.2010.0119

Cited by 33 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Nevertheless, this kind of track has not been formally defined. Recently, Moreno et al [ 17 ] described them as follows: “Tridactyl, mesaxonic, with the lengths of digits II, III, and IV only slightly different; wide digits with rounded ends; digits converge proximally into a broad metatarsophalangeal impression (‘heel pad’). Ornithopod ichnites are similar in anteroposterior and mediolateral dimensions, and their general shapes resemble a clover”.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ichnotaxonomic Review of Large Ornithopod Dinosaur Tracks: Temporal and Geographic Implications

et al. 2015

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BackgroundLarge ornithopod tracks are known from the Upper Jurassic to the uppermost Cretaceous rocks of all continents but Antarctica. They include the tracks historically called Iguanodon footprints, iguanodontid footprints, hadrosaur/hadrosaurid footprints, and other large ornithopod tracks that have been used to define ichnotaxa. More than 40 ichnospecies based on large ornithopod tracks have been defined, but the validity of many of them is questionable.Methodology/Principal Findings34 ichnogenera and 44 ichnospecies have been analysed in this work. Many of them are considered to be invalid because they have been defined on the basis of poorly preserved tracks without diagnostic features, have an inadequate diagnosis, or are based on temporal and/or geographical criteria. Only eight ichnospecies belonging to the ichnogenera Caririchnium, Iguanodontipus and Hadrosauropodus are here regarded as valid.Conclusions/SignificanceThe monospecific ichnogenus Iguanodontipus (I. burreyi) is characterized by a small, rounded heel and elongate, narrow digit impressions. Its distribution is limited to the Berriasian-Valanginian of Europe. Caririchnium consists of four ichnospecies (C. magnificum [type ichnospecies], C. kortmeyeri, C. billsarjeanti and C. lotus) with a large, rounded heel and short, wide digit impressions. This ichnogenus ranges from the Berriasian-Hauterivian to the Aptian-Albian of South America, North America, Asia and Europe. Finally, Hadrosauropodus (three ichnospecies: H. langstoni [type ichnospecies], H. leonardii and H. kyoungsookimi) shows a large, bilobed heel and short, wide digit impressions. It is known from the Aptian-Albian to the Maastrichtian of North America, Asia and Europe. The ichnofamily Iguanodontipodidae includes large iguanodontian tracks characterized mainly by mesaxonic, tridactyl and subsymmetrical pes tracks that are as wide as (or wider than) long and have one pad impression in each digit and one in the heel. Its distribution is confidently limited to the Cretaceous of Europe, Asia, North America and South America.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ichnotaxonomic Review of Large Ornithopod Dinosaur Tracks: Temporal and Geographic Implications

et al. 2015

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“…In South America, body fossil evidence for gregariousness in non-avian theropods is limited to Mapusaurus roseae [38], [39] and probably Bicentenaria argentina [21] (see below). However, the South American footprint record of non-avian theropods, particularly in Chile and Peru [11], suggests gregariousness. These previous studies have pertained primarily to large theropods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, many ornithischian species have been interpreted as gregarious based on these types of data [2], [3], [4], [5], and many sauropod dinosaurs have been interpreted as gregarious based on trackways and associations of juvenile and adult individuals [6]. In contrast, evidence of gregariousness in Theropoda, particularly non-avian theropods, is controversial [7], [8], but similarly includes trackways [7], [9], [10], [11] as well as extrapolation from the behaviors of extant theropods (birds). However, among non-avian theropods, associations of multiple conspecific individuals are less common than in other groups of dinosaurs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Behavioral Implications of a Multi-Individual Bonebed of a Small Theropod Dinosaur

Ibiricu¹,

Martı́nez²,

Casal³

et al. 2013

PLoS ONE

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BackgroundCentral Patagonia, Argentina, preserves an abundant and rich fossil record. Among vertebrate fossils from the Upper Cretaceous Bajo Barreal Formation of Patagonia, five individuals of the small, non-avian theropod dinosaur Aniksosaurus darwini were recovered. Group behavior is an important aspect of dinosaur paleoecology, but it is not well-documented and is poorly understood among non-avian Theropoda.Methods/Principal FindingsThe taphonomic association of individuals from the Bajo Barreal Formation and aspects of their bone histology suggest gregarious behavior for Aniksosaurus, during at least a portion of the life history of this species. Histology indicates that the specimens were juvenile to sub-adult individuals. In addition, morphological differences between individuals, particularly proportions of the appendicular bones, are probably related to body-size dimorphism rather than ontogenetic stage.Conclusions/SignificanceGregarious behaviour may have conferred a selective advantage on Aniksosaurus individuals, contributing to their successful exploitation of the Cretaceous paleoenvironment preserved in the Bajo Barreal Formation. The monospecific assemblage of Aniksosaurus specimens constitutes only the second body fossil association of small, coelurosaurian theropods in South America and adds valuable information about the paleoecologies of non-avian theropod dinosaurs, particularly in the early Late Cretaceous of Patagonia.

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“…The ichnotaxonomy of large ornithopod footprints is robust, following a recent review by Diaz-Martinez et al (2015). Large ornithopod footprints are differentiated from theropod and thyreophoran footprints as they are tridactyl impressions with similar dimensions in anteroposterior and mediolateral directions, and similar lengths of digits II, III and IV, all of which are wide with rounded ends (Moreno et al, 2012). Three large ornithopod ichnotaxa are described herein ( Fig.…”

Section: Ornithopod Footprintsmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Theropod footprints are identified as didactyl or tridactyl impressions with a larger digit III than digits II or IV, presence of claw marks with sharp edges, and occasional elongated posterior margin (due to tarsometatarsus) and/or hallux impressions (Moreno et al, 2012). 19 examples of tracks fitting this description were observed, which can then be subdivided into four distinct morphotypes (Fig.…”

Section: Theropod Footprintsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dinosaur-landscape interactions at a diverse Early Cretaceous tracksite (Lee Ness Sandstone, Ashdown Formation, southern England)

Shillito

Davies

2019

Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology

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An assemblage of dinosaur footprints is reported from the Lower Cretaceous (Berriasian-Valanginian) Ashdown Formation of East Sussex, southern England. The ichnofauna is concentrated around a 2 m thick stratigraphic marker, the Lee Ness Sandstone, where recent cliff retreat has revealed 85 recognisable footprints attributable to 13 morphotypes, many of which bear high-fidelity skin impressions. The newly identified morphotypes mean that this tracksite hosts one of the most diverse dinosaur ichnoassemblages in the well-documented Mesozoic record of Britain; recording the activity of theropod, ornithopod, thyreophoran and possibly sauropod tracemakers. Most of the footprints were emplaced on a single floodplain mudstone horizon beneath a fluvial crevasse splay sandstone, where preservation was favoured by cohesive sediment and a prolonged interval of sedimentary stasis, during which trackways could be imparted. The sedimentological context of the trackways reveals evidence of interactions between dinosaurs and the riverine landscape that they inhabited; including the development of microtopographies around footprints, which impacted invertebrate burrowing activity, and evidence for dinosaur wading below the bankfull level of small meandering channels and oxbow lakes. Modern analogue suggests that the large dinosaurs may have played a significant role as zoogeomorphic engineers within the ancient floodplain setting, but the imperfect translation of sedimentary environment to sedimentary rock means that geological evidence for such is ambiguous.

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Large Theropod Dinosaur Footprint Associations in Western Gondwana: Behavioural and Palaeogeographic Implications

Abstract: In modern terrestrial ecosystems, the population size of large predators is low, and a similar pattern has

Cited by 33 publications

References 49 publications

Ichnotaxonomic Review of Large Ornithopod Dinosaur Tracks: Temporal and Geographic Implications

Ichnotaxonomic Review of Large Ornithopod Dinosaur Tracks: Temporal and Geographic Implications

The Behavioral Implications of a Multi-Individual Bonebed of a Small Theropod Dinosaur

Dinosaur-landscape interactions at a diverse Early Cretaceous tracksite (Lee Ness Sandstone, Ashdown Formation, southern England)

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