新疆恐龙足迹的最早记录（英文）

尽管新疆地域辽阔,但其四足动物足迹在不久前仍是寥寥。近几年,这种情况得以改变,来自侏罗纪和白垩纪的四足动物足迹陆续被报道和描述,其形态可归入鸟类、非鸟恐龙和翼龙足迹。这里报道了中国科学院南京地质古生物研究所保存的新疆下侏罗统地层发现的第一个恐龙足迹。该足迹是一个小型兽脚类足迹,也是中国西北目前已知的最古老的恐龙足迹。标本暂时归入似张北足迹未定种(cf.Changpeipus isp.),它类似于常见的跷脚龙-实雷龙足迹丛(Grallator-Eubrontes plexus),该种类的足迹主宰着早、中侏罗世的中国,乃至全球之四足动物足迹群。     

记河北省后城组新发现之小型兽脚类足迹(英文)

几十年前人们就已经开始研究中国东北侏罗纪—白垩纪界线附近地层中的小型兽脚类恐龙足迹,虽然这些遗迹化石比辽宁省义县组带羽毛的恐龙及其他实体化石逊色了许多。本文记述了河北省承德南双庙后城组(土城子组)最下部河流相沉积中发现的一组兽脚类恐龙足迹。南双庙足迹具有三趾,趾粗大,其形态与美国下侏罗统经典的"brontozoid"足迹(Gral- lator,Anchisauripus和Eubrontes)相符。虽然许多产自辽宁土城子组中基本同时的brontozoid足迹被鉴定为小型的跷脚龙足迹属(Grallator),但南双庙足迹更大一些(全长可达28.8 cm),可能应该归入安琪龙足迹属(Anchisauripus)。南双庙足迹很可能是一群小型兽脚类行走而产生。在辽宁义县组的兽脚类恐龙中,最可能留下这类足迹的是小型的窃蛋龙类——尾羽龙(Caudipteryx)。不过这个解释还很勉强,因为这些足迹缺乏鉴定性特征,而且河北的后城组与辽宁的义县组之间还有一定的时间及地理间隔。     

重庆晚侏罗世两处兽脚类足迹组合与四川盆地侏罗纪地层(英文)

重庆市已报道了4处侏罗纪的恐龙足迹点,包括下侏罗统珍珠冲组的大足化石点,该地点发现了中国迄今最古老的蜥脚类行迹;另外两处化石点(南岸和金鸡)的层位曾被视为中或上侏罗统,这里首次将其确认为上侏罗统上沙溪庙组;第4处化石点(成渝), 本文全部作者目前都未曾观察,这里不做描述。南岸化石点是南岸重庆足迹(Chongqingpus nananensis)模式标本的所在地,位于重庆市中心,曾发现过大量兽脚类足迹,如今已消逝在城市化进程中。幸运的是,这批标本被保存于重庆自然博物馆,本文作者曾前后两次对其进行研究,并得出文中的结论。南岸重庆足迹为中型足迹(平均长约29 cm), 最可能被卡岩塔足迹(Kayentapus)所囊括,这批标本中有一些保存着边界不清的拇趾迹。该化石点的其他足迹被归于似异样龙足迹(cf. Anomoepus)。其他较小的、来自重庆市周边中侏罗统中部的足迹此前已被归于跷脚龙足迹(Grallator)。金鸡化石点保存了一条孤立的兽脚类行迹,因其粗壮的特征而被暂时归于似窄足龙足迹(cf. Therangospodus)。金鸡点的行迹也保存了非连续出现的拇趾迹。虽然重庆市和四川盆地及其周边更广泛地区之侏罗纪地层发现的兽脚类足迹日渐增多,但要明确其确切地质年龄及有效的足迹分类依然需要进一步工作。这是因为侏罗纪的恐龙足迹尽管丰富,但显示出连续变化的形态学特征,而保存状况的变化更使其难以在时间与空间上做出定义与鉴别。     

中国甘肃省中铺地区下白垩统河口群的兽脚类与蜥脚类足迹组合(英文)

近年来,中国西北部兰州-民和盆地的中铺地区河口群发现了一批恐龙骨骼化石和足迹化石。中铺地区的蜥脚类与兽脚类足迹组合相对丰富,但大多数标本保存较差。大夏足迹点发现了保存较好的类似亚洲足迹的跷脚龙类足迹(Asianopodus-like grallatorid tracks),足迹有着中趾弱前凸(weak mesaxony)。李家沟一号点的足迹组合包括了较大的兽脚类足迹和大型的、非三趾型四足类足迹,后者可能是蜥脚类足迹。李家沟二号点的足迹为多层的蜥脚类足迹,这表明了这类恐龙的活跃性,巨龙类的骨骸也可能来自同一层位。虽然中铺足迹组合不如同属河口群的盐锅峡足迹组合那么具有多样化与得以充分暴露,但依然体现了该地区以及中国早白垩世地层的典型足迹组合。     

四川资中金李井镇肉食龙足迹化石再研究北大核心CSCD

重新观察和修订发现于四川资中县金李井镇碾盘山村中侏罗统沙溪庙组中的碾盘山金李井足迹(Jin-lijingpus nianpanshanensis Young and Young,1987),将其归属于实雷龙足迹属,种名保留,更名为碾盘山实雷龙足迹(Eubrontes nianpanshanensis comb.nov.)。新足迹种的特征为:足迹长大于足迹宽,行迹1的足迹长39.8cm,足迹宽33.7cm,行迹2的足迹长26cm,足迹宽24.2cm。足迹深度在2.5—3.0cm之间,无前足迹,两足行走,三趾型,趾行式,趾端具爪,Ⅲ趾最长。两条行迹的趾间角分别为Ⅱ25°Ⅲ33°Ⅳ和Ⅱ29°Ⅲ30.6°Ⅳ。单步长与足迹长之比为2.5,行迹外宽与足迹宽之比为1.5,复步角约为160°。从足迹的形态、大小和深度以及行迹的方向和速度来看,这两条行迹的造迹恐龙之间可能有某种亲缘关系。     

中国四川盆地南缘白垩纪中期的非鸟兽脚类行迹

描述中国贵州赤水地区白垩纪中期窝头山组(夹关组)宝源足迹点的七道非鸟兽脚类行迹.尽管统计的样本不甚充足,但足迹所在岩层的孢粉初步分析结果表明其时代可新至晚白垩世(最晚可晚于Cenomanian阶).这批足迹被归入似和平河足迹未定种(cf.Irenesauripus isp.),大多数足迹的跖趾垫区域保存了不同大小的跖骨...     

陕西子洲中侏罗世早期恐龙足迹初步研究

陕西子洲县中侏罗统延安组砂岩中,同一地点共厚约1.7 m的5个层面发现4种食肉类恐龙足迹,自上而下分别为:1)第5层面大型三趾型足迹,实雷龙足迹科王氏子洲足迹(新遗迹属、新遗迹种)Zizhoupus wangi ichnogen.et ichnosp,nov.;2)第4和第3层面中型三趾型足迹,实雷龙足迹科龙尾峁张北足迹(新遗迹种)Changpeipus longweimaoensis inchnosp.nov.;3)第2层面小型三趾或四趾型足迹,虚骨龙类小理河陕西足迹(新遗迹种)Shensipus xiaoliheensis inchnosp.nov.;4)第1层面小型三趾型足迹,虚骨龙类的铜川陕西足迹Shensipus tungchuanensis.     

陕西子洲中侏罗世早期恐龙足迹初步研究（英文）

陕西子洲县中侏罗统延安组砂岩中,同一地点共厚约1.7 m的5个层面发现4种食肉类恐龙足迹,自上而下分别为:1)第5层面大型三趾型足迹,实雷龙足迹科王氏子洲足迹(新遗迹属、新遗迹种)Zizhoupus wangi ichnogen.et ichnosp.nov.;2)第4和第3层面中型三趾型足迹,实雷龙足迹科龙尾峁张北足迹(新遗迹种)Changpeipus longweimaoensis inchnosp.nov.;3)第2层面小型三趾或四趾型足迹,虚骨龙类小理河陕西足迹(新遗迹种)Shensipus xiaoliheensis inchnosp.nov.;4)第1层面小型三趾型足迹,虚骨龙类的铜川陕西足迹Shensipus tungchuanensis。     

内蒙古查布地区下白垩统巨齿龙足印化石

内蒙古鄂尔多斯市鄂托克旗查布地区下白垩统中产有大量的蜥脚类和兽脚类恐龙足迹及鸟类足迹化石,作者对这个地区的足迹化石进行全面普查,发现许多新暴露出来的恐龙足迹化石,包括兽脚类恐龙足迹一新属新种Chapuslockleyiichnogen.etichnosp.nov.属于巨齿龙类(megalosaurid)所留。与兽脚类足迹保存在一起的蜥脚类足迹Brontopodusbirdi分布凌乱,反映了造迹恐龙搏斗的场面。通过测量连续的兽脚类足迹计算,Chapuslockleyi的造迹恐龙的行走速度为4.33km/h。通过足迹化石还识别出造迹恐龙的病态特征。     

河北侏罗-白垩纪界线最古老的恐爪龙类足迹

记述中国河北省赤城县倪家沟化石点一组恐龙行迹,并命名一新属新种--中国猛龙足迹(Menglongipus sinensis ichnogen.et ichnosp.nov.).足迹来自土城子组,位于侏罗-白孚纪界线.相邻的义县组曾发现最古老的恐爪龙类骨骼化石,而中国猛龙足迹的发现表明恐爪龙类早在义县组之前便出现在该地区.中国猛龙足迹的造迹者体长约65cm,非常接近于基十的近鸟类.此外,为四川伶盗龙足迹(Velociraptorichnus sichuanensis)的模式标本提供更多细节,并讨论驰龙类足迹型与其他兽脚类足迹之间的联系.     

A diversified vertebrate ichnite fauna from the Dasheng Group (Lower Cretaceous) of southeast Shandong Province,China

The Qingquan dinosaur tracksite, from the Lower Cretaceous Dasheng Group, Shandong Province, China adds to the growing record of saurischian-dominated ichnofaunas of the region. The site reveals the presence of avian theropods (Koreanaornis) and non-avian theropods tentatively referred to Jialingpus. Sauropod tracks are referred to Brontopodus. One site shows evidence of extensive trampling attributable to sauropods and theropods that moved in the same westerly direction, though not necessarily at exactly the same time. This site is reminiscent of the famous Davenport Ranch site in Texas which has provoked much debate about the herding behavior of sauropods as a defense strategy against theropod predators.     

Book Reviews

Bioerosion, Recent and Ancient: 3rd International Bioerosion Workshop, Barcelona, 2000, J. Martinell, R. Domènech and J. M. de Gibert, 2002, Acta Geologica Hispanica, volume 37, no. 1, 75 pp., ISSN 0567-7505. Reviewed by Stephen K. Donovan, Department of Palaeontology, Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Darwinweg 2, Postbus 9517, NL-2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands. Veldgids Diersporen by Annemarie van Diepenbeek, 2000 (in Dutch). Vereniging Natuurmonumenten, P.O. Box 9955, NL-1243ZS ’s-Graveland, The Netherlands (www.natuurmonumenten.nl). 403 pp. ISBN 90 700 99 39X. EUR27.20. Reviewed by Anne S. Schulp, Natuurhistorisch Museum Maastricht, P.O. Box 882, NL-6200 AW Maastricht, The Netherlands.     

Vertebrate Tracksites in the Middle Jurassic-Upper Cretaceous of South Tunisia

Four vertebrate tracksites from the Middle Jurassic and Upper Cretaceous in the Tataouine basin of southern Tunisia are described. Approximately 130 tridactyl footprints distributed over an area of 200 square meters, preserved on Callovian beds exposed at the Beni Ghedir site, represent the oldest evidence of a dinosaur fauna in Tunisia. In addition, three tracksites—Chenini, Ksar Ayaat, and Jebel Boulouha—have been discovered in the Cretaceous beds of the upper Continental Intercalaire, previously considered as a strictly marine depositional sequence. In addition to dinosaur tracks, the Chenini tracksite (late Albian) includes poorly preserved crocodilian tracks, and footprints assigned to a pleurodiran turtle have been recovered at the Ksar Ayaat locality (early Cenomanian). The Jebel Boulouha tracksite is dominated by well-preserved tridactyl tracks referred to small-sized theropods. Depositional settings of each tracksite have been defined on stratigraphic and sedimentologic data, and tracks were ascribed to different ichnocoenoses in relation to their paleoenvironments. This new and differentiated track record gives important information on how the fossil vertebrate fauna changed in southern Tunisia during mid-Jurassic to mid-Cretaceous times. These data provide a unique and useful census of tetrapod associations along the southern margin of the peri-Mediterranean area.     

A Diverse Dinosaur-Bird Footprint Assemblage from the Lance Formation,Upper Cretaceous,Eastern Wyoming: Implications for Ichnotaxonomy

A diverse assemblage of dinosaur and bird tracks from Niobrara County, Wyoming, represents the first vertebrate ichnofauna reported from the bone-rich Lance Formation (Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous). The ichnofauna includes a hadrosaur track with skin impressions; three theropod track types, including the tetradactyl track Saurexallopus zerbsti (ichnosp. nov.); a tridactyl dinosaur footprint with a fusiform digit III; possible Tyrannosaurus tracks; four distinctive avian ichnites; and invertebrate traces. The footprints are generally well-preserved and so offer a unique insight into the ecology of a small river valley during the Maastrichtian.

Saurexallopus zerbsti ichnosp. nov. from the Lance is similar to Saurexallopus lovei recently reported from the Maastrichtian, Harebell Formation, of northwestern Wyoming, but is represented by much better material, facilitating amendment of the ichnogenus. Skeletal equivalents for Saurexallopus are not currently known. Similarly, the tridactyl track with fusiform digit III is similar to footprints reported from the coeval Laramie Formation of Colorado and may also be similar to ichnogenus Ornithomimipus from the Edmonton Group of Alberta (though not necessarily of ornithomimid affinity). The hadrosaurian track with the skin impression is reminiscent of a similar ichnite reported from the Maastrichtian, St. Mary River Formation in Alberta, which is herein named Hadrosauropodus langstoni as part of a reassessment of Cretaceous ornithopod track ichnotaxonomy. Such correlations demonstrate the utility of tracks for local or regional biostratigraphy (palichnostratigraphy) in western North America. It is also clear that tracks add to our knowledge of the composition and distribution of dinosaurian and avian components of Maastrichtian faunas. In particular the bird tracks indicate a diversity of at least four species, one of which was a semi-palmate form, hitherto unknown in the ichnological record and named Sarjeantichnus semipalmatus.     

Sometimes They Come Back: Recovery and Reinterpretation of a Trackway Slab from the Permian Coconino Sandstone of the Southwestern United States

When a fossil vanishes to a private collection, it must be considered lost to science because, frequently, it is no longer available for study. Fortunately some fossils occasionally are regained. We had the opportunity to recoup an interesting footprint-bearing slab that was part of a private collection in Italy. The specimen, found in 1992 near Seligman, Arizona (USA) was described, before disappearing, as one of the best fossil examples of vertebrate (Chelichnus [Laoporus])-on-invertebrate (Octopodichnus) predation. After a careful re-examination of the slab, the primary conclusions of the former describers are demonstrably groundless. The reanalysis of the tracks, as well as peculiar sedimentary structures associated with the tracks, allowed obtaining new information about the depositional environment and the complex interactions between the type of substrate and trackmaker behavior. The re-examination of the specimen also revealed interesting aspects about trackmaker biomechanics.     

Diverse Dinosaur-Dominated Ichnofaunas from the Potomac Group (Lower Cretaceous) Maryland

Until recently fossil footprints were virtually unknown from the Cretaceous of the eastern United States. The discovery of about 300 footprints in iron-rich siliciclastic facies of the Patuxent Formation (Potomac Group) of Aptian age is undoubtedly one of the most significant Early Cretaceous track discoveries since the Paluxy track discoveries in Texas in the 1930s. The Patuxent tracks include theropod, sauropod, ankylosaur and ornithopod dinosaur footprints, pterosaur tracks, and miscellaneous mammal and other vertebrate ichnites that collectively suggest a diversity of about 14 morphotypes. This is about twice the previous maximum estimate for any known Early Cretaceous vertebrate ichnofauna. Among the more distinctive forms are excellent examples of hypsilophodontid tracks and a surprisingly large mammal footprint. A remarkable feature of the Patuxent track assemblage is the high proportion of small tracks indicative of hatchlings, independently verified by the discovery of a hatchling-sized dinosaur. Such evidence suggests the proximity of nest sites. The preservation of such small tracks is very rare in the Cretaceous track record, and indeed throughout most of the Mesozoic.

This unusual preservation not only provides us with a window into a diverse Early Cretaceous ecosystem, but it also suggests the potential of such facies to provide ichnological bonanzas. A remarkable feature of the assemblage is that it consists largely of reworked nodules and clasts that may have previously been reworked within the Patuxent Formation. Such unusual contexts of preservation should provide intriguing research opportunities for sedimentologists interested in the diagenesis and taphonomy of a unique track-bearing facies.     

Lavinipes Cheminii Ichnogen., Ichnosp. nov., A Possible Sauropodomorph Track from the Lower Jurassic of the Italian Alps

A new ichnotaxon is described from the Lower Jurassic (Upper Hettangian-Lower Sinemurian) carbonate tidal flats on the central-eastern Italian Alps. The narrow-gauge trackway is that of a large quadrupedal dinosaur. The pes is functionally tetradactyl with three rounded antero-medially directed digits, and the manus is pentadactyl. This quadrupedal form is close to Otozoum and Pseudotetrasauropus jaquesi both traditionally related to sauropodomorph trackmakers. The similarity with Otozoum is so marked that Lavinipes and Otozoum could be cogeneric. But the overall evidence today is that the Otozoum trackmaker was generally bipedal, whereas the trackmaker of L. cheminii is fully quadrupedal. The manual prints of L. cheminii show five short clawless digits and are different from the tetradactyl slender toed manual prints of Otozoum. The possible sauropodomorph affinity of the L. cheminii trackmaker is here discussed with an attempt to a revision of the Late Triassic-Jurassic tracks which have been traditionally related to sauropod and prosauropod.     

A Probable Diatryma Track from the Eocene of Washington: An Intriguing Case of Controversy and Skepticism

A large tridactyl track from the Franklin Series of the Eocene Puget Group has been named Ornithoformipes controversus ichnogen et ichnosp. nov. and is attributed to a large ground-dwelling Diatryma or a Diatryma-like bird. The isolated footprint clearly shows that the trackmaker had broad semi-circular unguals and feet that show several correspondences with the foot morphology inferred for Diatryma and related forms. The age of the footprint is estimated at about 45 million years, which is about 5 million years younger than known Diatryma body fossils. The sedimentary geology context of the track is consistent with an interpretation of the trackmaker as a large herbivore that lived in well-vegetated areas.     

Crocodylomorph Trackways from the Jurassic to Early Cretaceous of North America and Europe: Implications for Ichnotaxonomy

Trackways described as Batrachopus (Batrachopodidae Lull, 1904 Lull, R. S. 1904. Fossil footprints of the Jura-Trias of North America. Memoirs of the Boston Society of Natural History, 5: 461–557.  [Google Scholar]) from the Lower Jurassic of Europe are rare and in some cases different from the type trackways from North America. Differences may be in part attributable to preservation, but current evidence suggests that there is inherent variability in Batrachopodidae morphotypes, beyond that attributable to differential preservation. Type Batrachopus is a stout-toed form, with minimal digit divarication (i.e., a long foot), whereas Antipus describes slender-toed forms with a wider foot and wider digit divarications.

Antipus is also similar to Crocodylopodus (ichnofamily Crocodylopodidae: Fuentes Vidarte and Meijide Calvo, 1999 Fuentes Vidarte, C. and Meijide Calvo, M. 1999. Primeras Huellas de Cocodrilo en el Weald de Cameros (Sria, Espana) Nueva Familia Crocodilopodidae: Nuevo icnogenero: Crocodylopodus Nueva icnoespecie: C. meijidei. Actas de las jornadas internacionales sobre paleontologia de dinosairios y su entorno. Sala de los infantes (Burgos, Espana). Collectivo Arqueologico-Paleontologico de Salas, : 329–338.  [Google Scholar]) from near the Jurassic-Cretaceous boundary in Spain. Crocodylopodus has a relatively large manus, and a less outwardly rotated trackway, but is not sufficiently different from Batrachopodidae to warrant its own ichnofamily. Manus-pes size (area) ratios (heteropody) may also be important in differentiating different crocodylomorph ichnotaxa, as is the case with other archosaurian ichnotaxa. However, heteropody may change with size, and be less pronounced in large individuals. Manus and pes rotation patterns, and trackway width are variable and may be of use for differentiation of ichnotaxa but may also be a function of speed.     

New Hettangian tracks from the Causses Basin (Lozère,southern France) complement the poor fossil record of earliest Jurassic crocodylomorphs in Europe

A new vertebrate ichnological assemblage is described from the Hettangian Dolomitic Formation of the Causses Basin, at Le Serre (Lozère, southern France). We report tracks that complement the poor fossil record of lowermost Jurassic crocodylomorphs in Europe. Tetradactyl pes and pentadactyl manus imprints form a unique trackway. Traces are ascribed to Batrachopus isp. and they represent the third occurrence of this ichnogenus in European Hettangian geological formations. This is the first report of Batrachopus in Hettangian deposits of the Causses Basin. The tracks share some similarities with Batrachopus deweyi previously described from the Sinemurian of the Causses Basin. Crocodylomorph tracks co-occur with tridactyl dinosaur traces assigned to Dilophosauripus williamsi and Grallator isp. The sedimentology and palaeoichnology of the tracksite indicate that the depositional environment was a tidal to supratidal flat marsh that was emerged periodically. The ichnological assemblage from Le Serre and a synthesis of ichnotaxa co-occurring with Batrachopus in the European lowermost Jurassic tracksites confirm that crocodylomorphs living in marginal-littoral palaeoenvironments were part of theropod-dominated faunas, together with ornithopods but apparently without sauropods.