Trackways of the American Crocodile (<i>Crocodylus acutus</i>) in Northwestern Costa Rica: Implications for Crocodylian Ichnology

Farlow, James O.; Robinson, Nathan J.; Kumagai, Cory J.; Paladino, Frank V.; Falkingham, Peter L.; Elsey, Ruth M.; Martin, Anthony J.

doi:10.1080/10420940.2017.1350856

Cited by 29 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…Track and trackway data were systematically measured (Fig. 4) following crocodilian ichnological terminology 41 in general and the parameters of each track are given in Table 1. They measured manus print length in a straight-line distance from the terminus of the digit III impression to the proximal edge of the manus print but its width from the terminus ends of the impressions of digits I and V rather than perpendicular to manus print length (Leonardi protocol) 5 .…”

Section: Methodology and Terminologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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The first possible choristoderan trackway from the Lower Cretaceous Daegu Formation of South Korea and its implications on choristoderan locomotion

Lee

Kong

Jung

2020

Sci Rep

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Here we report a new quadrupedal trackway found in the Lower Cretaceous Daegu Formation (Albian) in the vicinity of Ulsan Metropolitan City, South Korea, in 2018. A total of nine manus-pes imprints show a strong heteropodous quadrupedal trackway (length ratio is 1:3.36). Both manus and pes tracks are pentadactyl with claw marks. The manus prints rotate distinctly outward while the pes prints are nearly parallel to the direction of travel. The functional axis in manus and pes imprints suggests that the trackmaker moved along the medial side during the stroke progressions (entaxonic), indicating weight support on the inner side of the limbs. There is an indication of webbing between the pedal digits. These new tracks are assigned to Novapes ulsanensis, n. ichnogen., n. ichnosp., which are well-matched not only with foot skeletons and body size of Monjurosuchus but also the fossil record of choristoderes in East Asia, thereby N. ulsanensis could be made by a monjurosuchid-like choristoderan and represent the first possible choristoderan trackway from Asia. N. ulsanensis also suggests that semi-aquatic choristoderans were capable of walking semi-erect when moving on the ground with a similar locomotion pattern to that of crocodilians on land. South Korea has become globally famous for various tetrapod footprints from Cretaceous strata 1 , among which some clades such as frogs 2 , birds 3 and mammals 4 have been proved for their existences only with ichnological evidence. Recently, a new quadrupedal trackway with a pronounced heteropody (sensu stricto) 5 was discovered in the Daegu Formation (Albian, Lower Cretaceous), Ulsan City, which consists of nine manus-pes sets (Fig. 1). Both manus and pes are pentadactyl with sharp claw marks. They look different from any known quadrupedal dinosaur footprints because there is a clear indication of webbing between the pedal digits. During the Mesozoic, the webbed footprints have been occasionally reported in various quadrupedal animals such as freshwater turtles 6 , amphibians 7 , crocodyliforms 8 , and pterosaurs 9. However, new footprints differ from their tracks in morphology and appear to belong to that of other clade. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to describe the new type of tracks and to investigate the possible trackmaker by comparing their ichnological features with skeletal ones. In addition, the trackmaker's locomotory posture on land was inferred from the trackway pattern. Results Systematic ichnology. Ichnogenus Novapes ichnogen. nov. (Figs. 2, 3). Type species. Novapes ulsanensis ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., by monotypy and designation herein. Diagnosis. Quadrupedal tracks with a pronounced heteropody; pentadactyl manus impression with claw marks and semi-symmetrical outline, wider than longer; divergence between digit I and V imprints ranges 180° to 210°; the digit IV imprint slightly longer than digit II; entaxonic; pentadactyl pes impression with claw marks and asymmetrical outline (i.e., lateral digits are more developed), longer than wide; webbing bet...

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Section: Methodology and Terminologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Monjurosuchus38 . On the other hand, pes prints of crocodiles are usually positioned just behind ipsilateral manus prints of the same set41 . In addition, the average of glenoacetabular length of the trackway is 228.8 mm, which is concordant with the body size of Monjurosuchus whose snout-vent length [SVL] is up to 300 mm.…”

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The first possible choristoderan trackway from the Lower Cretaceous Daegu Formation of South Korea and its implications on choristoderan locomotion

Lee

Kong

Jung

2020

Sci Rep

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“…Study of trackways registered by modern crocodilians during terrestrial walking progression is also informative 21 , and indicates that pes and manus track morphologies are quite similar to those of Mesozoic crocodylomorphs. However, the trackways of well-known www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ extant species such as Alligator mississippiensis and Crocodylus acutus are generally wider than those reported from the Mesozoic 21,45 (Fig. 8).…”

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, such subaqueous progression does potentially provide a plausible mechanism for producing pes only trackways. 45 , Batrachopus grandis ichnosp. nov., Mehliella jeffersonensis (with tail trace) 25 and the pterosaur trackway Haenamichnus uhangriensis (right) 56 , showing difference in trackway width.…”

Section: Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trackway evidence for large bipedal crocodylomorphs from the Cretaceous of Korea

Kim

Lockley

Lim

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Large well-preserved crocodylomorph tracks from the Lower cretaceous (? Aptian) Jinju formation of South Korea, represent the well-known crocodylomorph ichnogenus Batrachopus. the Korean sample includes multiple, narrow-gauge, pes-only trackways with footprint lengths (FL) 18-24 cm, indicating trackmaker body lengths up to ~3.0 m. Surprisingly, the consistent absence of manus tracks in trackways, with well-preserved digital pad and skin traces, argues for bipedal trackmakers, here assigned to Batrachopus grandis ichnosp. nov. No definitive evidence, either from pes-onmanus overprinting or poor track preservation, suggests the trackways where made by quadrupeds that only appear bipedal. this interpretation helps solve previous confusion over interpretation of enigmatic tracks of bipeds from younger (? Albian) Haman formation sites by showing they are not pterosaurian as previously inferred. Rather, they support the strong consensus that pterosaurs were obligate quadrupeds, not bipeds. Lower Jurassic Batrachopus with foot lengths (FL) in the 2-8 cm range, and cretaceous Crocodylopodus (FL up to ~9.0 cm) known only from Korea and Spain registered narrow gauge trackways indicating semi-terrestrial/terrestrial quadrupedal gaits. Both ichnogenera, from ichnofamily Batrachopodidae, have been attributed to Protosuchus-like semi-terrestrial crocodylomorphs. the occurrence of bipedal B. grandis ichnosp. nov. is evidence of such adaptations in the Korean cretaceous. Crocodylomorph tracks are generally rare in the Mesozoic of Asia. It has been suggested that this is in part due to the lack of sedimentary facies representing suitable habitats for this group of ostensibly aquatic trackmakers 1. However, the crocodylomorph ichnofamily Batrachopodidae 2,3 appears to represent more terrestrially-adapted forms 3,4. As currently defined, the batrachopodids 5 include Batrachopus and Crocodylopodus, the former mostly known from small tracks (~2.0-8.0 cm long) from the Lower Jurassic of North America 4 , Europe 5,6 and Africa 7 , the latter primarily from the Cretaceous of Europe 8,9. The ichnofamily also includes Antipus known only from one well-described Lower Jurassic trackway from North America which is considered a synonym of Batrachopus by some 3 , but not all ichnologists 10. Recently Crocodylopodus was reported from the Lower Cretaceous (?Aptian) 11 Jinju Formation of Korea 12,13 , where it represents the first Asian occurrence, and adds to the extraordinarily rich Jinju Formation, ichnofauna described as a Konservat-Lagerstätten 14-19. Spanish 8,9 and Korean 12,13 Crocodylopodus represent relatively small animals (footprint lengths less than ~9.0-10.0 cm) with slender digit traces, which may reflect penetrative track preservation 20. However, the trackway configuration is diagnostically crocodilian, with elongate tetradactyl pes and outwardly rotated pentadactyl manus, not unlike those of extant crocodilians 21-23 (Supplementary Information: SI Fig. 1). Here we report on a large, newly-discovered Jinju Formation assemblage wi...

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“…Trackway of modern American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) showing angular relationships of manus imprints (shaded tracks) to direction of travel (arrow). Adapted from[43].…”

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Lower Eocene Footprints from Northwest Washington, USA. Part 1: Reptile Tracks

Mustoe

2019

Geosciences

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Lower Eocene fluvial strata in the Chuckanut Formation preserve abundant bird and mammal tracks. Reptile trace fossils include footprints from a small turtle (ichnogenus Chelonipus), and several Crocodylian trackways that consist of irregularly spaced footprints associated with linear tail drag marks. The latter trackways represent “punting” locomotion, where a submerged Crocodylian used intermittent substrate contacts to provide forward motion of their neutrally buoyant bodies. Two adjacent sandstone blocks preserve Crocodylian trace fossils that are named herein as a new ichnogenus and ichnospecies Anticusuchipes amnis. Two other Crocodylian trackways lack sufficient detail for ichnotaxonomic assignment.

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Trackways of the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in Northwestern Costa Rica: Implications for Crocodylian Ichnology

Abstract: Trackways of the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) in Northwestern

Cited by 29 publications

References 77 publications

The first possible choristoderan trackway from the Lower Cretaceous Daegu Formation of South Korea and its implications on choristoderan locomotion

The first possible choristoderan trackway from the Lower Cretaceous Daegu Formation of South Korea and its implications on choristoderan locomotion

Trackway evidence for large bipedal crocodylomorphs from the Cretaceous of Korea

Lower Eocene Footprints from Northwest Washington, USA. Part 1: Reptile Tracks

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