Relaunching the TY tracksite: tridactyl dinosaur footprints from the Lower Jurassic of southern Africa
Relaunching the TY tracksite: tridactyl dinosaur footprints from the Lower Jurassic of southern Africa
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DOI：
10.1080/08912963.2022.2117042
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发表时间：
2022-09
影响因子：
1.4
通讯作者：
J. N. Lallensack;E. Bordy;M. Lockley;O. Wings
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
J. N. Lallensack;E. Bordy;M. Lockley;O. Wings
本文所描述的恐龙足迹遗址位于莱索托西北部靠近Teyateyaneng （TY）的边界，包含350多个恐龙脚印和至少38条轨道，可能与Dornan在1908年最初提到的遗址相同。在艾略特组最上层（下侏罗统Sinemurian）的悬崖悬垂处和悬崖底部的一块落下的石块上，三趾类脚印以自然的形式暴露出来。高分辨率的摄影测量和变焦镜头有助于对否则无法进入的悬垂进行详细的技术记录。轨迹在形态上变化很大，可能是由于轨迹表面在形成过程中水分的波动。几代干裂裂缝与轨道的纵横交错关系表明了含轨沉积物的反复润湿和干燥。可以区分两个足迹大小类，较小的类是类似于grallator的，较大的类可分配给Eubrontes。所有的足迹都可能属于大约1.9亿年前在该地区干旱地区漫游的两足、小型到中型兽脚亚目恐龙。我们的技术描述将这个美学的电视足迹站点变成了一个适合的地质遗产目的地，具有科学和教育价值。
ABSTRACT Comprising more than 350 dinosaur footprints and at least 38 trackways, the TY tracksite described herein is located close to the border of NW Lesotho, near Teyateyaneng (TY), and is probably identical to the site originally mentioned by Dornan in 1908. The tridactyl footprints are exposed as natural casts on a cliff overhang and a fallen block at the base of the cliff in the uppermost Elliot Formation (Sinemurian, Lower Jurassic). High-resolution photogrammetry and zoom lenses facilitated the detailed ichnological documentation of the otherwise inaccessible overhang. The tracks vary greatly in morphology, likely due to moisture fluctuations in the tracking surface during their formation. Repeated wetting and drying of the track-bearing sediment is indicated by the cross-cutting relationship of the several generations of desiccation cracks and tracks. Two footprint size classes can be distinguished, with the smaller class being Grallator-like and the larger class being assignable to Eubrontes. All tracks are likely attributable to bipedal, small to moderately large theropod dinosaurs that roamed the drylands of the region c. 190 million years ago. Our ichnological account turns this aesthetic TY footprint site into an apt geoheritage destination with scientific and educational value for all.