Mastodon footprints found to be water erosion in the Quebrada de Chalán (Licto, Ecuador)

Abstract

The Chalan ravine is a deep bed creek that runs through Licto (Ecuador). It has been known since the 19th century for the abundance of paleontological remains of Pleiostocene fauna and megafauna in its profiles, where entire remains of mastodons were recovered. The abundance of these remains made one of the high areas, where marmites exist in different forms, was traditionally considered as mastodon footprints. Archaeological prospecting, geographic information system (GIS) technology, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), photogrammetry, and the geological study of the place, allowed us to determine that the mythical traces of mastodon were marmites made by the water erosion produced in the same ravine over time.