| Autor: |
Xing L; School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China., Zhang J; School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China., Lockley MG; Dinosaur Trackers Research Group, University of Colorado Denver, PO Box 173364, Denver, CO 80217, United States of America., McCrea RT; Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre, Box 1540, Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia V0C 2W0, Canada., Klein H; Saurierwelt Paläontologisches Museum, Alte Richt 7, D-92318 Neumarkt, Germany., Alcalá L; Fundación Conjunto Paleontológico de Teruel-Dinópolis, Teruel, Aragón E-44002, Spain., Buckley LG; Peace Region Palaeontology Research Centre, Box 1540, Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia V0C 2W0, Canada., Burns ME; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada., Kümmell SB; Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University Witten/Herdecke, Stockumerstr. 10-12, 58454 Witten, Germany., He Q; School of the Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China. |
| Abstrakt: |
New reports of dinosaur tracksites in the Tuchengzi Formation in the newly established Yanqing Global Geopark, Beijing, China, support previous inferences that the track assemblages from this formation are saurischian-dominated. More specifically, the assemblages appear theropod-dominated, with the majority of well-preserved tracks conforming to the Grallator type (sensus lato), thus representing relatively small trackmakers. Such ichnofaunas supplement the skeletal record from this unit that lacks theropods thus far, proving a larger diversity of dinosaur faunas in that region. Sauropods are represented by medium to large sized and narrow and wide-gauge groups, respectively. The latter correspond with earlier discoveries of titanosauriform skeletons in the same unit. Previous records of ornithischian tracks cannot be positively confirmed. Purported occurrences are re-evaluated here, the trackways and imprints, except of a single possible specimen, re-assigned to theropods. Palecologically the Tuchengzi ichnofauna is characteristic of semi-arid fluvio-lacustrine inland basins with Upper Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous deposits in northern China that all show assemblages with abundant theropod and sauropod tracks and minor components of ornithopod, pterosaur and bird tracks. |
