A new trackway possibly made by a trotting theropod at the Las Hoyas fossil site (Early Cretaceous, Cuenca Province, Spain): Identification, bio-dynamics and palaeoenvironmental implications

Moratalla, José J.; Marugán-Lobón,; Martín‐Abad, Hugo; Cuesta, Elena; Buscalioni, Ángela Delgado

doi:10.26879/770

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…(2) Carcharodontosaurids are known in several Early Cretaceous localities by teeth 40 and skeletal remains 47 ; the only genus and species currently described is the iconic Concavenator corcovatus 48 , 49 . Moratalla et al 50 published a trackway from Las Hoyas (Cuenca, Spain) and suggested its possible trackmaker to be Concavenator . The footprints from Las Hoyas differ in some features from the footprints from both La Torre 6A and 6B (divarication angle, pace angle, footprint outline), but are similar in size and proportions.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fast-running theropods tracks from the Early Cretaceous of La Rioja, Spain

Navarro-Lorbés

Ruíz

Díaz‐Martínez

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

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Theropod behaviour and biodynamics are intriguing questions that paleontology has been trying to resolve for a long time. The lack of extant groups with similar bipedalism has made it hard to answer some of the questions on the matter, yet theoretical biomechanical models have shed some light on the question of how fast theropods could run and what kind of movement they showed. The study of dinosaur tracks can help answer some of these questions due to the very nature of tracks as a product of the interaction of these animals with the environment. Two trackways belonging to fast-running theropods from the Lower Cretaceous Enciso Group of Igea (La Rioja) are presented here and compared with other fast-running theropod trackways published to date. The Lower Cretaceous Iberian fossil record and some features present in these footprints and trackways suggest a basal tetanuran, probably a carcharodontosaurid or spinosaurid, as a plausible trackmaker. Speed analysis shows that these trackways, with speed ranges of 6.5–10.3 and 8.8–12.4 ms−1, testify to some of the top speeds ever calculated for theropod tracks, shedding light on the question of dinosaur biodynamics and how these animals moved.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fast-running theropods tracks from the Early Cretaceous of La Rioja, Spain

Navarro-Lorbés

Ruíz

Díaz‐Martínez

et al. 2021

Sci Rep

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…the only genus and species currently described is the iconic Concavenator corcovatus 45,46 . Moratalla et al (2017) 47 published a trackway from Las Hoyas (Cuenca, Spain) and suggested its possible trackmaker to be Concavenator. The footprints from Las Hoyas differ in some features from the footprints from both La Torre 6A and 6B (divarication angle, pace angle, footprint outline), but are similar in size and proportions.…”

Section: Possible Trackmakersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fast-Running Theropods Tracks From the Early Cretaceous of La Rioja, Spain

Navarro-Lorbés

Ruíz

Díaz‐Martínez

et al. 2021

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Theropod behaviour and biodynamics are intriguing questions that paleontology has been trying to resolve for a long time. The lack of extant groups with similar bipedalism has made it hard to answer some of the questions on the matter, yet theoretical biomechanical models have shed some light on the question of how fast theropods could run and what kind of movement they showed. The study of dinosaur tracks can help answer some of these questions due to the very nature of tracks as a product of the interaction of these animals with the environment. Two trackways belonging to fast-running theropods from the Lower Cretaceous Enciso Group of Igea (La Rioja) are presented here and compared with other fast-running theropod trackways published to date. The Lower Cretaceous Iberian fossil record and some features present in these footprints and trackways suggest a basal tetanuran, probably a carcharodontosaurid or spinosaurid, as a plausible trackmaker. Speed analysis shows that these trackways, with speed ranges of 6.5−10.3 and 8.8−12.4 ms-1, testify to some of the top speeds ever calculated for theropod tracks, shedding light on the question of dinosaur biodynamics and how these animals moved.

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“…Fish trace fossils are recorded as the common ichnospecies Undichna unisulca [ 61 ]. In addition to this aquatic fauna, some layers also contain traces of air-breathing terrestrial tetrapods such as crocodiles and dinosaurs [ 62 , 63 ]. The most significant part of the Las Hoyas ichnoassemblage pending description are the coprolites, which are the aim of the present contribution.…”

Section: The Las Hoyas Ichnoassemblagementioning

confidence: 99%

Exceptional coprolite association from the Early Cretaceous continental Lagerstätte of Las Hoyas, Cuenca, Spain

et al. 2018

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Coprolites are some of the most abundant fossils at the Las Hoyas site, a well-known Early Cretaceous Konservat-Lagerstätte located in Cuenca, central Spain. The coprolite association is described, introducing taphonomic features and sedimentological properties. This study is based on a subsample of 433 fossils selected from some 2000 specimens collected. The taphonomic features of the coprolites show that their integrity, absence of desiccation marks, and volume are congruent with faeces produced and deposited in an aquatic ecosystem, which were immediately covered by microbial mats. The highest abundance of coprolites, 96%, occurs in layers linked to the presence of microbial mats. Consequently, it is likely that coprolites are taphonomically autochthonous. A dichotomous key has been made in order to delimit the morphotypes. The key is based on (1) presence/absence of spiral marks, (2) morphology of coprolite ends, including polarity, expansion, and surface, and (3) overall shape, outline, diameter, and constrictions. Twelve different morphotypes are distinguished: spiral, circular, irregular, elongated, rosary, ellipsoidal, cylinder, bump-headed lace, fir-tree, cone, straight lace, and thin lace. The association is dominated by thin-lace and cylinder morphotypes. The sizes, inclusions, and EDX analyses indicate that the Las Hoyas coprolites correspond mostly to carnivorous producers with ichthyophagous diets, as crocodiles, urodelans and different kind of fishes.

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A new trackway possibly made by a trotting theropod at the Las Hoyas fossil site (Early Cretaceous, Cuenca Province, Spain): Identification, bio-dynamics and palaeoenvironmental implications

Cited by 10 publications

References 33 publications

Fast-running theropods tracks from the Early Cretaceous of La Rioja, Spain

Fast-running theropods tracks from the Early Cretaceous of La Rioja, Spain

Fast-Running Theropods Tracks From the Early Cretaceous of La Rioja, Spain

Exceptional coprolite association from the Early Cretaceous continental Lagerstätte of Las Hoyas, Cuenca, Spain

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