albertonykus
Well-known member
Serrano-Brañas, C.I., B. Espinosa-Chávez, J.F. Ventura, D. Barrera-Guevara, E. Torres-Rodríguez, and F.J. Vega (2022)
New insights on the avian trace fossil record from NE Mexico: evidences on the diversity of latest Maastrichtian web-footed bird tracks
Journal of South American Earth Sciences 113: 103686
doi: 10.1016/j.jsames.2021.103686
In this study we describe three new web-footed bird tracks found in uppermost Maastrichtian strata of Las Encinas Formation, southeast Coahuila, NE Mexico. The described materials were collected at Rancho San Francisco locality, Ramos Arizpe County. These bird tracks can be ecomorphologically compared with those of modern members of the Order Anseriformes and the Family Ardeidae (Order Pelecaniformes). Associated invertebrate ichnotaxa include Cochlichnus and Skolithos. The co-occurrence of Leptoptilostipus isp., morphotype A and morphotype B with several invertebrate traces at Rancho San Francisco suggests that this area could represent a feeding site with abundant food sources during the latest Maastrichtian. These new bird footprints add to the previous reports of avian trace fossils for the Upper Cretaceous of the state of Coahuila and suggest that the Rancho San Francisco tracksite can be considered up to now, as the richest locality of web-footed bird tracks worldwide.
New insights on the avian trace fossil record from NE Mexico: evidences on the diversity of latest Maastrichtian web-footed bird tracks
Journal of South American Earth Sciences 113: 103686
doi: 10.1016/j.jsames.2021.103686
In this study we describe three new web-footed bird tracks found in uppermost Maastrichtian strata of Las Encinas Formation, southeast Coahuila, NE Mexico. The described materials were collected at Rancho San Francisco locality, Ramos Arizpe County. These bird tracks can be ecomorphologically compared with those of modern members of the Order Anseriformes and the Family Ardeidae (Order Pelecaniformes). Associated invertebrate ichnotaxa include Cochlichnus and Skolithos. The co-occurrence of Leptoptilostipus isp., morphotype A and morphotype B with several invertebrate traces at Rancho San Francisco suggests that this area could represent a feeding site with abundant food sources during the latest Maastrichtian. These new bird footprints add to the previous reports of avian trace fossils for the Upper Cretaceous of the state of Coahuila and suggest that the Rancho San Francisco tracksite can be considered up to now, as the richest locality of web-footed bird tracks worldwide.
