内蒙古乌拉特中旗恐龙足迹研究

2006年内蒙古地质环境监测院在乌拉特中旗海流图镇西10公里处发现一恐龙足迹化石点。由于恐龙足迹产地的地层研究程度较低,因此这批恐龙足迹的研究在地层年代确定、以及恢复古环境方面具有重大意义。共识别出脊椎动物足迹化石119个,其中大部分为恐龙足迹,包括兽脚类恐龙足迹:玫瑰实雷龙足迹(Eubrontes glenrosensis)、海流图卡岩塔足迹(Kayentapus hailiutuensis ichnosp.nov)和鸟脚类恐龙足迹中型异样龙足迹种(Anomoepus intermedius),以及鳄类足迹的蛙步足迹,其中海流图卡岩塔足迹(Kayentapus hailiutuensisichnosp.nov)为新种。根据足迹形态的对比,推断造迹恐龙分别为兽脚类恐龙中的巨齿龙类(Megalosaurus)和双脊龙类(Dilophosaurus)以及鸟脚类恐龙棱齿龙类(Hypsilophodont)。通过对比发现乌拉特与波兰Opatw附近的Podole地区的早侏罗世的足迹组合十分相似,因此建议将乌拉特中旗海流图的足迹及含足迹地层的年代归入侏罗纪早期。根据对足迹产地附近的地层剖面的研究以及足迹组合中含大量鸟脚类恐龙足迹的事实推断:侏罗纪早期研究区古环境为山涧河流环境,雨量充沛。     

云南下侏罗统禄丰组恐龙足迹的发现和张北足迹属新观察

记述了云南省禄丰县腰站乡下侏罗统禄丰组2个恐龙足迹,命名了棋盘张北足迹（Changpeipus pareschequier ichnosp. nov.）一新种。这是在禄丰组中首次发现恐龙足迹化石,重新观察并修订了张北足迹一属的属征。滦平张北足迹（Changpeipus luanpingeris）应为石炭张北足迹（Changpeipus carbonicus）的亚成年个体,为同物异名。此前被认为是石炭张北足迹（Changpeipus carbonicus）前足迹的IVPP V2472 2a,应为其未成年体的后足迹。张北足迹与卡岩塔足迹（Kayentapus）类似。综合种种特征,棋盘张北足迹（新种）的造迹恐龙很可能为禄丰组的腔骨龙类（Coelophysoidea）     

重庆綦江中白垩统夹关组恐龙足迹群的发现及其意义

记述了来自重庆綦江中白垩统夹关组恐龙足迹群，命名了甲龙亚目的中国綦江足迹（Qijiangpussinensis ichnogen．et ichnosp．nov．）、兽脚亚目的敏捷舞足迹（Wupusagilis ichnogen．etichnosp．nov．）和鸟脚亚目的炎热老瀛山足迹（Laoyingshanpus torridus ichnogen．etichnosp．nov．）和莲花卡利尔足迹（Caririchniumlotusichnosp．nov．）等新属种。中国綦江足迹是中国首次发现甲龙类的足迹。莲花卡利尔足迹提供了鸭嘴龙类在各发育阶段所留下不同的足迹。     

A New Theropod Dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Lufeng, Yunnan, China

A new theropod dinosaur,Shidaisaurusjinae gen.et sp.nov.,has been described on the basis of an incomplete skeleton.The specimen was found near the base of the Upper Lufeng Formation(early Middle Jurassic)in Yunnan,China.It is the first theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Yunnan.Shidaisaurus jinae is distinguishable from other Jurassic theropods by certain features from the braincase,axis,and pelvic girdle.The absence of any pleurocoels in the axis or in any anterior dorsal vertebrae suggests that the new Lufeng theropod is relatively primitive and more plesiomorphic than most of the Middle to Late Jurassic theropods from China.Most Chinese taxa of Jurassic theropod dinosaurs have not been well described;a further detailed study will be necessary for us to determine their phylogenetic relationships with Shidaisaurus jinae.     

莱阳盆地莱阳群恐龙足迹化石的新发现

在山东莱阳盆地早白垩世莱阳群龙旺庄组发现15个足迹化石。化石产在灰绿色细砾粗砂岩(转石)的下层面,呈层底凸形(Convex hyporelief)保存。研究表明,足迹为二足行走、趾行式、三趾型,趾端具尖、长爪。足长约13 cm,长大于宽,近中趾对称。趾间角较大:平均值Ⅱ27°Ⅲ27.2°Ⅳ,Ⅱ、Ⅳ趾夹角平均54.2°。趾垫不清晰,无尾迹印痕。经研究,笔者认为这是一新的足迹类型,命名为Paragrallator ichnogen. nov.,并将其归入Coelurosauria Huene 1914次亚目,Anchisauripodidae(Lull 1904)足迹科。即该足迹系由小型兽脚类恐龙——虚骨龙类所形成。恐龙足迹形成于滨湖相—河流相环境中。     

A New Theropod Dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Lufeng,Yunnan, China

A new theropod dinosaur, Shidaisaurus jinae gen. et sp. nov., has been described on the basis of an incomplete skeleton. The specimen was found near the base of the Upper Lufeng Formation (early Middle Jurassic) in Yunnan, China. It is the first theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic of Yunnan. Shidaisaurus jinae is distinguishable from other Jurassic theropods by certain features from the braincase, axis, and pelvic girdle. The absence of any pleurocoels in the axis or in any anterior dorsal vertebrae suggests that the new Lufeng theropod is relatively primitive and more plesiomorphic than most of the Middle to Late Jurassic theropods from China. Most Chinese taxa of Jurassic theropod dinosaurs have not been well described; a further detailed study will be necessary for us to determine their phylogenetic relationships with Shidaisaurus jinae.     

Bird and dinosaur footprints in the Woodbine Formation (Cenomanian), Texas

The ichnofauna of the Woodbine Formation (Cenomanian), Denton County, Texas includes bird and dinosaur tracks. A new bird trackway,Magnoavipes loweiichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., appears to represent the largest bird tracks known from the Mesozoic. A theropod trackway,Fuscinapedis woodbinensisichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., is characterized by long digits of uniform width and pointed small claws. Six hadrosaurid trackways,Caririchnium protohadrosaurichnosichnosp. nov., are the oldest hadrosaurid tracks associated with skeletal elements. They include one isolated small footprint, a medium sized quadrupedal, and five large bipedal hadrosaurid trackways.     

Theropod assemblages and a new ichnotaxon Gigandipus chiappei ichnosp. nov. from the Jiaguan Formation,Lower Cretaceous of Guizhou Province,China

A newly discovered Jiaguan Formation(Lower Cretaceous) tracksite from the Linjiang region of Guizhou Province, China, reveals the first example of a Cretaceous track morphotype attributable to the non-avian theropod ichnogenus Gigandipus, here named Gigandipus chiappei ichnosp nov. The theropod dominated locality also reveals the second report of the avian theropod ichnogenus Wupus, one of the largest avian traces currently known from the Lower Cretaceous. The Linjiang site provides evidence to support previous interpretations of a distinctive Lower Cretaceous theropod-dominated ichnofauna that was widespread in China and East Asia and highlights the similarity between Lower Cretaceous theropod ichnotaxa in East Asia and those found in the Lower Jurassic both in East Asia and elsewhere. These similarities in turn create various ichnotaxonomic challenges familiar to researchers working on theropod tracks, and we recommend caution in the naming of new theropod ichnotaxa at the ichnogenus level.     

藏东昌都地区首次发现中侏罗世兽脚类恐龙行迹

藏东昌都地区阿涅塘化石点中侏罗世达布卡组滨湖相紫红色中-细砂岩中,发现以凸形迹完好地保存的4层恐龙足迹,包括Grallator类、大型兽脚类、小型兽脚类和小型蜥脚类等足迹类型,并构成两列完美的行迹. 组成行迹T1的4个Grallator类足迹被命名为Grallator anietangensis isp. nov.,对其进行了详细的形态学分析,并讨论了造迹恐龙的大小和运动状态,这是Grallator类足迹在西藏地区的首次发现. 组成行迹T2的9个大型兽脚类足迹被归为Theropoda igen. et isp. indet.,对该类足迹进行了形态描述和功能分析;这类足迹在中国是首次记录,其连续且清晰的尾迹表明造迹者并非处于正常运动状态,而是应对某种特殊境况的特别行为方式,即其正以昂起的前躯一边观察,一边以极低的速度前进,因前躯昂起,尾部相应下垂,从而留下尾迹. 两列行迹均显示出造迹者正沿古昌都湖岸前进. 中国迄今所发现的恐龙骨骼和Grallator类足迹化石主要表现为以西南地区为中心,再向四周不断发散的扩散模式,但Grallator类足迹化石综合提供的信息显示恐龙动物的扩散速度比骨骼化石反映的速度更快.      

北京延庆千家店地区土城子组恐龙足迹点沉积环境

北京延庆千家店地区晚侏罗世土城子组化石稀少,而新发现的恐龙足迹是北京恐龙存活过的重要证据,研究其沉积环境对恢复当时恐龙动物群的生活环境具有十分重要的意义。研究区恐龙足迹主要包括兽脚类、蜥脚类和可能的鸟脚类足迹。运用地层学、岩石学、古生物学和沉积学方法,通过地层剖面、岩石薄片、足迹分布、沉积构造及详细的粒度分布特征,综合得出千家店地区土城子组三段恐龙足迹点的沉积环境,认为当时的沉积环境为含火山碎屑的浅湖沉积,恐龙足迹的赋存层位为湖滨环境。     

山东沂沭断裂带早白垩世晚期恐龙足迹特征差异性*

近些年来,在山东沂沭断裂带南部地区(莒南、临沭、郯城和东海）的下白垩统上部大盛群中发现了大量的恐龙足迹化石,而这些化石反映的足迹类型、形态大小、足迹踩踏深度等方面都存在有差异性。研究发现,在足迹类型方面,莒南地区以兽脚类和鸟脚类恐龙足迹为主,临沭、郯城和东海地区以蜥脚类恐龙足迹为主。足迹大小方面,莒南地区的兽脚类足迹可划分为类型Ⅰ和类型Ⅱ两种类型,而东海地区的恐龙足迹主要属于类型Ⅱ,但是莒南地区大多数足迹的趾间角要小于东海地区的,这可能是由于兽脚类恐龙属种的不同所造成的;莒南地区鸟脚类足迹绝大多数要小于临沭地区的鸟脚类足迹;郯城地区的蜥脚类足迹较小,而莒南、临沭和东海地区大多数蜥脚类足迹的大小较为相似,个别临沭和莒南地区的蜥脚类恐龙足迹较大。足迹踩踏深度方面,临沭、东海和郯城地区的足迹相比莒南地区的足迹要稍深,这与足迹形成在不同湿度、黏度、颗粒度的沉积物表面上有密切联系。基于上述研究认为,在早白垩世晚期,沂沭断裂带内生活着种类繁盛,数量庞大的恐龙动物群,联系到沂沭断裂带东部诸城地区早白垩世早期地层中也发现有大量的以兽脚类为主的恐龙足迹化石,推断在早白垩世,沂沭断裂带及胶莱盆地当时为一个理想的恐龙生存、繁衍的栖息地。同时,山东早白垩世大量恐龙足迹化石的发现也为整个华北甚至东北亚地区晚中生代恐龙属种的分布、演化以及古地理研究提供了丰富的材料和信息。     

Dinosaur ichnofauna of the Upper Jurassic/Lower Cretaceous of the Paraná Basin (Brazil and Uruguay)

Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous sedimentary layers are represented in the Brazilian Paraná Basin by the fluvio–aeolian Guará Formation and the Botucatu Formation palaeoerg, respectively, overlapped by the volcanic Serra Geral Formation. In Uruguay, the corresponding sedimentary units are named Batoví and Rivera Members (both from the Tacuarembó Formation), and the lava flows constitute the Arapey Formation (also in Paraná Basin). Despite the lack of body fossils in the mentioned Brazilian formations, Guará/Batoví dinosaur fauna is composed of theropod, ornithopod and wide–gauge sauropod tracks and isolated footprints, as well as theropod teeth. In turn, the Botucatu/Rivera dinosaur fauna is represented by theropod and ornithopod ichnofossils smaller than those from the underlying units. The analysis of these dinosaur ichnological records and comparisons with other global Mesozoic ichnofauna indicates that there is a size reduction in dinosaur fauna in the more arid Botucatu/Rivera environment, which is dominated by aeolian dunes. The absence of sauropod trackways in the Botucatu Sandstone fits with the increasingly arid conditions because it is difficult for heavy animals to walk on sandy dunes, as well as to obtain the required amount of food resources. This comparison between the Upper Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous dinosaur fauna in south Brazil and Uruguay demonstrates the influence of aridization on the size of animals occupying each habitat.     

Late Triassic sauropodomorph and Middle Jurassic theropod tracks from the Xichang Basin,Sichuan Province,southwestern China:First report of the ichnogenus Carmelopodus

Upper Triassic and Middle Jurassic strata of the Xichang Basin in Sichuan Province, southwestern China, yielded important dinosaur ichnofossils. From the Xujiahe Formation of the Yiguojiao tracksite, we report a Late Triassic footprint assemblage in China and the first discovery of diagnostic Triassic sauropodomorph tracks in this region. The tracks share a number of features in common with the ichnogenera Eosauropus(Late Triassic) and Liujianpus(Early Jurassic). The neighboring Bingtu tracksite is stratigraphically younger(Shaximiao Formation, Middle Jurassic) and preserves small tridactyl theropod tracks that represent the first occurrence of the ichnotaxon Carmelopodus in China and Asia. While these tracks are morphologically comparable to those from the Middle Jurassic type locality in North America, the specimens from China show the proximal margin of the digit IV impression in a more cranial position, which may indicate a trackmaker with a relatively short metatarsal IV. In addition to the skeletal record, the Carmelopodus footprints document the presence of small theropods in the dinosaur fauna of the Middle Jurassic Shaximiao Formation.     

Cenomanian dinosaur tracks on the islet of Fenoliga in southern Istria, Croatia

One hundred and forty six dinosaur footprints occur on the Cenomanian outcrop of Fenoliga. They are arranged in six trackways and six footprint groups (a–f). Two basic footprint types can be distinguished: firstly, large circular-elliptical sauropod footprints, forming four trackways (I, III, V, VI) and five footprint groups (a–e), and secondly, smaller, tridactyl theropod footprints forming two trackways (II and IV) and one footprint group (f). Three type specimens, one sauropod and two theropod, were determined during the course of the work. Since no dinosaur bones have been discovered in the Cenomanian rocks of Istria so far, these findings are outstandingly important in the analysis of the regional dinosaur fauna.     

冀西北尚义上侏罗统—下白垩统后城组恐龙足迹新发现及生物古地理意义*

简要报道了新近首次在冀西北张家口尚义地区发现的恐龙足迹。野外地质调查发现,恐龙足迹赋存于尚义晚中生代盆地侏罗系—白垩系后城组顶部。恐龙行迹呈近东西向展布,由数十个足迹构成。初步研究表明,造迹者分别属于兽脚类和蜥脚类恐龙,由西向东行进。足迹中包括兽脚类足迹70余个,组成数个行迹;蜥脚类足迹15个,构成1列行迹。蜥脚类足迹特征显示其可能属于游泳状的行迹。华北北部土城子组/后城组发育于燕辽生物群—热河生物群更替演化时期（晚侏罗世—早白垩世早期）,以往在该时期沉积物中罕见脊椎动物骨骼化石。近年来华北北部土城子组/后城组中频繁发现的恐龙足迹表明,燕辽生物群—热河生物群更替演化时期发育着以恐龙为代表的脊椎动物群。该发现将有助于进一步了解土城子组/后城组沉积时期恐龙属种的多样性及其生物古地理环境。晚侏罗世—早白垩世早期沉积古地理和古生态环境及其与恐龙动物群发育的研究有助于揭示陆地生物群更替演化和环境的关系。     

A New Theropod Dinosaur (Theropoda,Dromaeosauridae) from the Late Cretaceous of Tajikistan

Doklady Earth Sciences - A new dromaeosaurid theropod dinosaur, Kansaignathus sogdianus gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a dentary from the Yalovach Formation (Santonian) at Kansai locality...     

The youngest dinosaur footprints from England and their palaeoenvironmental implications

Newly discovered dinosaur footprints from the Lower Cretaceous (Albian) Folkestone Formation (Lower Greensand Group) of Kent in S.E. England can be referred to theropod, ornithopod and possibly ankylosaur dinosaurs. The occurrence of dinosaur footprints, together with fossil wood and oysters in a matrix of well-rounded quartz grains indicates a coastal depositional environment of an extremely shallow depth, perhaps with short periods of subaerial exposure. This is the first record of dinosaur footprints from the Folkestone Formation, and it represents the youngest association of dinosaur footprints from England. The moderately diverse dinosaur ichnoassemblage of theropods, ornithopods, ankylosaurs and previously documented fossils indicate deposition on a sandy beach setting.     

The first dinosaur tracksite from Abruzzi (Monte Cagno,Central Apennines,Italy)

A new Lower Cretaceous (lower Aptian) dinosaur tracksite, from the eastern side of Monte Cagno (Abruzzi, Italy), is described. Different styles of track formation are represented on the site surface. Most of the footprints are preserved as deep tracks, produced by trackmakers sinking into soft mud. Some tracks, better preserved than the others, are characterized by metatarsal impressions and were interpreted as the resting traces of a crouching theropod (based on their orientation and three-dimensional morphology). The 135 cm length of the track with metatarsal impressions indicates huge pedal proportions and represents the largest theropod trackmaker ever documented from the Mesozoic peri-Adriatic platforms of Italy.     

四川美姑发现侏罗纪恐龙足迹化石

2016年8月,在位于西昌盆地边缘的四川美姑县中侏罗统沙溪庙组底部薄层粉砂岩之上,发现有恐龙足迹化石。恐龙足迹共3个,均与跷脚龙足迹相似。该发现对于古气候、古地理和地层对比都具有重要的意义,足迹详细分类有待进一步研究。     

Discovery and recovery of a large theropod dinosaur footprint from the Cleveland Basin, North Yorkshire, UK

In December of 2004 a dinosaur footprint was discovered near Scarborough on the North Yorkshire coast of northern England. Arguably, it was the largest and best-preserved theropod print yet discovered on this coast, and indicated for the first time that large carnivores were present in the area around 165 million years ago. Many trace fossils are enigmatic ghosts of the animal that formed them, but footprints are so much more tangible; a footprint preserved from Jurassic time represents an individual animal, walking in this place at this time. In this article I provide the background to the discovery and collection of this trace fossil, which has enabled this footprint in time to be preserved for future study.