Tuesday 12 May 2015

Oho, we have a situation here!

I have discovered this particular  Early Cretaceous sauropod track site a few years ago.Last weekend I went to take a few more photographs. The light was favourable, that late Friday afternoon, so I made some interesting new discoveries. It seems that a rather large theropod walked at the same site. Maybe a bit earlier than the sauropod, because the footprint on the left is a bit deformed by the print that sauropod left later. There was another theropod on the right, or maybe this time theropod returned to stalk the sauropod.
In fact, there should be a right manus sauropod print roughly at the same place where the theropod left pes imprint is. Thus, it seems that the theropod stepped over it, obliterating it. It's possible the large theropod was following the sauropod!
 There is at least a dozen different spots with sauropod tracks or dinoturbations near the city of Pula. I need to draw a map, because it is becoming ever harder to keep all those places, including the tracks of other tetrapods, in my mind.
My interpretation is on the right. The length of the theropod foot was in the range of 55 and 60 cm. The animal was probably at least 10 to 12 metres long.
TLP = theropod left pes; SRP = sauropod right pes; SRM = sauropod right manus


The ripple marks on a layer that is about 30 cm above the sauropod track site layer.


Ankylosaur tracks that are a few kilometres further along the coast.

The sea was very calm that day.


I must admit I am completely lost here: What made these round prints in a shallow sea water some 100 mya? A medusa? Some fish? (A ray fish feeding)?



My interpretation - which led me to no conculsion. Of course, it's not the only round imprint of the same kind there but this one is the largest.



Pula the other day: a mummified carcass of a seagull washed out on a beach. It gives you an idea why are many fossils so jumbled.


 A giant Iggy track-natural cast, I have found years ago. This one has its toes well defined. It is probably the right foot imprint.







The Iggy track - natural cast, I have found a few months ago. If you have any "objections" over its size, I can only tell you that I have found quite a few of the tracks of similar proportions and a couple of prints that are even larger!


Pula last weekend: Opa! It seems I have found some small pterosaur tracks, again. It might the left foot (pes) in the centre. The other prints are less preserved. I am quite certain that the left foot on the right belongs to me, though.