15 Undergraduate Research Session (Posters)

Tuesday, 15 May 2018
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Outdoor Tents

NEWLY DISCOVERED THEROPOD DINOSAUR TRACKS IN THE LOWER JURASSIC AZTEC SANDSTONE, VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK, SOUTHERN NEVADA

Paper number: 15-11
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:30 AM – 6:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

We report the discovery of previously unknown tridactyl dinosaur tracks in the Aztec Sandstone in Valley of Fire State Park of Southern Nevada. We refer these tracks to the ichnogenus Grallator. The presence of tracks of different sizes and depths, oriented in the same direction, suggests that animals of different ages and masses were emplaced at approximately the same time, which in turn suggests gregarious behavior.

The most distinct trackway is 2.0 meters long and 15 cm wide. It consists of eight Grallator tracks, which are probably undertracks. This trackway is oriented N25E. The longest preserved foot impression in this trackway is 10 cm long, and the stride is 53 cm. Assuming a hip height of 4.6 times the foot length, we calculate that this dinosaur was walking relatively slowly at a speed of 0.68 m/sec or 40.8 m/min or 2.4 km/hr.

Future research will involve additional analysis, including photogrammetry, of these and other tracks in the region.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 50, No. 5

doi: 10.1130/abs/2018RM-314260

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