Late Jurassic footprints reveal walking kinematics of theropod dinosaurs

Abstract

Avanzini, M., Piñuela, L. & García‐Ramos, J.C. 2011: Late Jurassic footprints reveal walking kinematics of theropod dinosaurs. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 238–252. This study describes a set of theropod footprints collected from the Late Jurassic Lastres Formation (Asturias, N Spain). The footprints are natural casts (tracks and undertracks) grouped into three morphotypes, which are characterized by different size frequency, L/W relationship and divarication angles: ‘Grallatorid’ morphotype, ‘Kayentapus–Magnoavipes’ morphotype, ‘Hispanosauropus’ morphotype. The tracks were produced in firm, stiff and soft sediments. The infills of deep tracks, which are typically formed in soft mud, lack fine anatomical details, but they can reveal the walk kinematics of the trackmaker through the morphology of internal track fills and sinking traces. In all footprints, a horizontal outwardly directed translation movement and rotation are recognizable. The amount and geometry of digit penetration in the ground also show a pronounced difference. It can be inferred from the described sample that different theropoda‐related ichnogenera share common kinematics. □Asturias, dinosaur footprint, late jurassic, theropods, walking kinematics.

A biplanar X-ray method for three-dimensional analysis of track formation

“…Although greater sampling is needed, such evidence clarifies the formation dynamics of the nested, V-shaped laminae charac- teristic of penetrative tracks (Olsen, 2002;Gatesy, 2003;Rainforth, 2005). The more complete tracks made with the articulated turkey foot leave us optimistic about reconstructing motion from deep fossil tracks (Gatesy et al, 1999;Gatesy, 2003;Romero-Molina et al, 2003;Boutakiout et al, 2006;Perez-Lorente and Herrero Gascón, 2007;Ischigaki, 2010;Avanzini et al, 2011;Huerta et al, 2012). Foot withdrawal left obvious exit traces (Figure 8) similar to those seen in live birds and described from Greenland (Gatesy et al, 1999).…”

“…Accurate animations integrating indenter and marker movement offer a unique perspective on the spatial and temporal nature of particle displacement throughout the genesis of a track. Ultimately, we wish to better understand deep, penetrative track morphologies (e.g., Hitchcock, 1858) and to use them to reconstruct foot movement during locomotion (Avanzini, 1998;Gatesy et al, 1999;Gatesy, 2003;RomeroMolina et al, 2003;Boutakiout et al, 2006;PerezLorente and Herrero Gascón, 2007;Ischigaki, 2010;Avanzini et al, 2011;Huerta et al, 2012).…”

The tracks of giant theropods (Jurabrontes curtedulensisichnogen. & ichnosp. nov.) from the Late Jurassic of NW Switzerland: palaeoecological & palaeogeographical implications

“…Some of these tracks are described in Piñuela (2015) and in Avanzini et al (2011) who stated that some of these tracks are of the Hispanosauropus morphotype (Mensink & Mertmann 1984), as defined by Lockley et al (2007) characterised by the presence of at least some phalangeal pad impressions, but that are not usually well defined, and who assigned this morphotype to large and robust theropods. However, based on Avanzini et al (2011, Figures. 1 and 7C), these asymmetric tracks also resemble Megalosauripus because of slender and well-separated digits and possibly a 2-3-4 phalangeal pad configuration.…”

“…Regarding Regarding Hispanosauropus hauboldi Mensink and Mertmann 1984(revised in Lockley et al 2007and Avanzini et al 2011: Jurabrontes lacks the sigmoidal digit III impression and exhibits much better-defined phalangeal pad marks.…”

Diverse dinosaur ichnoassemblages from the Lower Cretaceous Dasheng Group in the Yishu fault zone, Shandong Province, China

“…Similar scale scratch lines are also found in theropod tracks from other tracksites (e.g., Avanzini et al, 2011). The relative amount of scratch lines has probably no relation to the track size (Xing et al, 2013b).…”