Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods
The Late Triassic (Norian–early Rhaetian) Fleming Fjord Formation of central East Greenland preserves a diverse fossil fauna, including both body and trace fossils. Trackways of large quadrupedal archosaurs, although already reported in 1994 and mentioned in subsequent publications, are here describ...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4202/app.00374.2017 https://doaj.org/article/b7af4e2d33c9471495c1a28f02361f69 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:b7af4e2d33c9471495c1a28f02361f69 2023-05-15T16:03:39+02:00 Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods Jens N. Lallensack Hendrik Klein Jesper Milàn Oliver Wings Octávio Mateus Lars B. Clemmensen 2017-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.4202/app.00374.2017 https://doaj.org/article/b7af4e2d33c9471495c1a28f02361f69 EN eng Institute of Paleobiology PAS http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app62/app003742017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/0567-7920 https://doaj.org/toc/1732-2421 doi:10.4202/app.00374.2017 0567-7920 1732-2421 https://doaj.org/article/b7af4e2d33c9471495c1a28f02361f69 Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, Vol 62, Iss 4, Pp 833-843 (2017) Dinosauria Sauropodomorpha trackway Triassic Greenland Fossil man. Human paleontology GN282-286.7 Paleontology QE701-760 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.4202/app.00374.2017 2022-12-31T15:01:16Z The Late Triassic (Norian–early Rhaetian) Fleming Fjord Formation of central East Greenland preserves a diverse fossil fauna, including both body and trace fossils. Trackways of large quadrupedal archosaurs, although already reported in 1994 and mentioned in subsequent publications, are here described and figured in detail for the first time, based on photogrammetric data collected during fieldwork in 2012. Two trackways can be referred to Eosauropus, while a third, bipedal trackway may be referred to Evazoum, both of which have been considered to represent sauropodomorph dinosaur tracks. Both the Evazoum and the Eosauropus trackways are distinctly larger than other trackways referred to the respective ichnogenera. The trackmaker of the best preserved Eosauropus trackway is constrained using a synapomorphy-based approach. The quadrupedal posture, the entaxonic pes structure, and five weight-bearing digits indicate a derived sauropodiform trackmaker. Other features exhibited by the tracks, including the semi-digitigrade pes and the laterally deflected unguals, are commonly considered synapomorphies of more exclusive clades within Sauropoda. The present trackway documents an early acquisition of a eusauropod-like pes anatomy while retaining a well-developed claw on pedal digit IV, which is reduced in eusauropods. Although unequivocal evidence for sauropod dinosaurs is no older than the Early Jurassic, the present trackway provides evidence for a possible Triassic origin of the group. Article in Journal/Newspaper East Greenland Greenland Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Fleming Fjord ENVELOPE(-22.867,-22.867,71.733,71.733) Greenland Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 62 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Dinosauria Sauropodomorpha trackway Triassic Greenland Fossil man. Human paleontology GN282-286.7 Paleontology QE701-760 |
spellingShingle |
Dinosauria Sauropodomorpha trackway Triassic Greenland Fossil man. Human paleontology GN282-286.7 Paleontology QE701-760 Jens N. Lallensack Hendrik Klein Jesper Milàn Oliver Wings Octávio Mateus Lars B. Clemmensen Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods |
topic_facet |
Dinosauria Sauropodomorpha trackway Triassic Greenland Fossil man. Human paleontology GN282-286.7 Paleontology QE701-760 |
description |
The Late Triassic (Norian–early Rhaetian) Fleming Fjord Formation of central East Greenland preserves a diverse fossil fauna, including both body and trace fossils. Trackways of large quadrupedal archosaurs, although already reported in 1994 and mentioned in subsequent publications, are here described and figured in detail for the first time, based on photogrammetric data collected during fieldwork in 2012. Two trackways can be referred to Eosauropus, while a third, bipedal trackway may be referred to Evazoum, both of which have been considered to represent sauropodomorph dinosaur tracks. Both the Evazoum and the Eosauropus trackways are distinctly larger than other trackways referred to the respective ichnogenera. The trackmaker of the best preserved Eosauropus trackway is constrained using a synapomorphy-based approach. The quadrupedal posture, the entaxonic pes structure, and five weight-bearing digits indicate a derived sauropodiform trackmaker. Other features exhibited by the tracks, including the semi-digitigrade pes and the laterally deflected unguals, are commonly considered synapomorphies of more exclusive clades within Sauropoda. The present trackway documents an early acquisition of a eusauropod-like pes anatomy while retaining a well-developed claw on pedal digit IV, which is reduced in eusauropods. Although unequivocal evidence for sauropod dinosaurs is no older than the Early Jurassic, the present trackway provides evidence for a possible Triassic origin of the group. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jens N. Lallensack Hendrik Klein Jesper Milàn Oliver Wings Octávio Mateus Lars B. Clemmensen |
author_facet |
Jens N. Lallensack Hendrik Klein Jesper Milàn Oliver Wings Octávio Mateus Lars B. Clemmensen |
author_sort |
Jens N. Lallensack |
title |
Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods |
title_short |
Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods |
title_full |
Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods |
title_fullStr |
Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the Fleming Fjord Formation of East Greenland: Evidence for Late Triassic sauropods |
title_sort |
sauropodomorph dinosaur trackways from the fleming fjord formation of east greenland: evidence for late triassic sauropods |
publisher |
Institute of Paleobiology PAS |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.4202/app.00374.2017 https://doaj.org/article/b7af4e2d33c9471495c1a28f02361f69 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-22.867,-22.867,71.733,71.733) |
geographic |
Fleming Fjord Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Fleming Fjord Greenland |
genre |
East Greenland Greenland |
genre_facet |
East Greenland Greenland |
op_source |
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, Vol 62, Iss 4, Pp 833-843 (2017) |
op_relation |
http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app62/app003742017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/0567-7920 https://doaj.org/toc/1732-2421 doi:10.4202/app.00374.2017 0567-7920 1732-2421 https://doaj.org/article/b7af4e2d33c9471495c1a28f02361f69 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.4202/app.00374.2017 |
container_title |
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica |
container_volume |
62 |
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1766399351783948288 |