New discovery of Cretaceous dinosaur track fauna in Xichang basin, Sichuan Province

TONG Kui; XING Lida; JIANG Xun; PENG Guangzhao; YE Yong; JIANG Shan; CHOU Chunyong; LI Ke; LI Zhiwu

2018 Vol. 37, No. 10

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TONG Kui, XING Lida, JIANG Xun, PENG Guangzhao, YE Yong, JIANG Shan, CHOU Chunyong, LI Ke, LI Zhiwu. New discovery of Cretaceous dinosaur track fauna in Xichang basin, Sichuan Province[J]. Geological Bulletin of China, 2018, 37(10): 1771-1776.

Citation:

TONG Kui, XING Lida, JIANG Xun, PENG Guangzhao, YE Yong, JIANG Shan, CHOU Chunyong, LI Ke, LI Zhiwu. New discovery of Cretaceous dinosaur track fauna in Xichang basin, Sichuan Province[J]. Geological Bulletin of China, 2018, 37(10): 1771-1776.

New discovery of Cretaceous dinosaur track fauna in Xichang basin, Sichuan Province

1.
State Key Laboratory of Oil and Gas Reservoir Geology and Exploitation, Chengdu University of Technology, Chengdu 610059, Sichuan, China
2.
School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
3.
State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China
4.
State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy/Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
5.
Zigong Dinosaur Museum, Zigong 643013, Sichuan, China

More Information

Corresponding author: XING Lida, xinglida@cugb.edu.cn

Received Date: 25 March 2018

Revised Date: 26 August 2018

Publish Date: 25 October 2018

Abstract

Abstract

The dinosaur fossils haven't been recorded in Cretaceous Xiaoba Formation in Xichang basin, Sichuan Province. Hence, the dinosaur footprints provide crucial information for improving the understanding of the Cretaceous dinosaur assemblages. In April 2007, the authors discovered a new dinosaur footprint assemblage in Xiaoba Formation at Luogan Township, Xide County. The Luogan tracksite is poorly preserved, but it contains abundant theropod tracks with basic morphological features. In general, the small the-ropod tracks (8~13cm) are characterized by moderate mesaxony (0.5~0.6) and wide divarication angles between digits Ⅱ and Ⅳ (70°~100°), few of which developed metatarsal pads. The authors tentatively hold that the Luogan theropod assemblages are probably similar to Eubrontes and Grallator of Jiaguan Formation in Sichuan basin, which provides new evidence that these two areas had similar dinosaur faunae in Middle Cretaceous. This discovery is of great significance for paleoclimate, paleogeography and stratigraphic contrast in Xichang basin. Detailed classification of footprints needs further study.
- dinosaur tracks /
- theropod /
- Xiaoba Formation /
- Cretaceous /
- Xichang basin

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References

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