Another strange body impression

The Pula mega track site

A peculiar case of the probable reptilian body print from EK mega track site in Pula. Candidates: croc, gator, monitor lizard, chamsposaurid. Seemingly very large oval scales on the belly. It appears it had 5 toes on legs - (croc has 4)

The photo of the impression in situ and my interpretation:

Some ref literature

27 April 2022

The megatracksite phenomenon: implications for tetrapod palaeobiology across terrestrial-shallow-marine transitional zones

• Martin G. Lockley and
 
• Christian A. Meyer

https://doi.org/10.1144/SP522-2021-164

CITING LITERATURE

• Carlos Cónsole-Gonella, Silvina de Valais, Ignacio Díaz-Martínez, Paolo Citton, Mariano Verde, Duncan McIlroy, The ichnology of shallow-marine and transitional environments, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 10.1144/SP522-2022-344, 522, 1, (1-4), (2023).
  Abstract
• Alexander Wagensommer, Rainer Dolch, Tiana Ratolojanahary, Simon Donato, Simone D'Orazi Porchetti, Defining the Bemaraha megatracksite: an update on dinosaur ichnology in Madagascar, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 10.1144/SP522-2021-86, 522, 1, (2022).
  Abstract
• Ignacio Díaz-Martínez, Mikel A. López-Horgue, Luis M. Agirrezabala, Carlos Cónsole-Gonella, Xabier Pereda-Suberbiola, Dinosaur tracks in a Cretaceous (lower Albian) braid delta system (Basque–Cantabrian Basin, western Pyrenees): linking trace fossils suites and short-term preservation windows, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 10.1144/SP522-2021-197, 522, 1, (237-264), (2022).
  Abstract

New tracks

Yesterday afternoon, I was walking along the outcrop near Pula, that I had visited only once before while searching for tracks. This time I had a bit more luck. I have found a couple of large theropod footprints in a straight line, but not as a complete sequence. The third, middle footprint was missing because it was covered with the rock layers. Although the state of preservation is rather poor, it seems both prints are from the left foot and the missing one is the right foot. The animal was walking fast with a rather long gait. The length of the footprint is about 45 cm.

 The last image above is my interpretative footprint outline.

 The outcrop has some interesting geological features. Gypsum crystals are quite abundant.

Here is another track site (probably sauropods) about a 100 meters further down the beach.

 Gypsum crystals are abundant and are glittering in the sun.

Many of the rocks are broken in a way as if they have been cut by a man. Which, of course, is not the case here.

More dinosaur wonders from Pula

Here is a nice, unusual, huge iguanodontoid footprint on one of Pula's beaches. Probably the left pes, missing tip half of the toe #4 impression/cast. That's one of my latest finds. The left pes track is to the right, not visible in this photo and less preserved.
The middle toe (#3) is slightly curved towards the toe #4. That feature is consistent in most iguanodontoid tracks from Pula.

The sea is just a couple of meters away. When I get tired of rocks and tracks...

More examples of large sauropod tracks from Pula

Like I wrote before, sauropod tracks are the most common on Pula beaches. In the first photo is one of the outcrops-dinoturbations. The rest of the photographs feature titanosaur tracks from various places along the beaches of Pula.

The last photograph might in fact be an iguanodontoid pes footprint.

Back from Pula

This weekend in Pula (17-19 October 2014) was a nice trip. It was warm, although, a bit too humid for my taste and the sea was still good enough (21°C) for swimming. The water was crystal clear, by the way.
Of course, I managed finding some more dinosaur tracks on the beach. Here is a decent small theropod footprint with my interpretation.

After snorkeling and enjoying the mid-October sun, the berries from the  strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) locally known as "planika", were a nice fresh snack. They are abundant at this tourist resort grounds. It was peaceful and quiet with only a few people on the beach and in the water. The premises of the resort Zlatne stijene are closed until the next season (2015).

The Saturday market in Pula was well stocked and visited as usually.

A puzzling feature in giant Early Cretaceous sauropod tracks in Pula

If you look carefully at the photographs I have shot on a Pula beach you'll probably notice  puzzling feature in giant Early Cretaceous sauropod tracks (Brontopodus). It appears that the footprints of the front feet (manus) were closer to the mid-line of the animal's body than the footprints of the hind feet (pes). The pes length impression is about 105 cm.

Is this the right manus/pes set? Notice the relatively small size of the typical crescent shape manus.The manus was preserved as an infilling (natural cast) while the pes is the true impression. In the image bellow both manus and pes were preserved as infillings (natural casts)

... and is this the left manus/pes set, or am I seeing it wrong and it's the opposite?
Anyway, if I am right, these tracks suggest that the giant Pula sauropod had very slender front limbs and very robust hind legs. The hips were much wider than the shoulders. The impressions of the front feet were often not or less preserved. The gait must have been somewhat similar to the gait of the modern giraffe, which also has a bit wider hips than shoulders so the impressions of the front feet are a tad closer to the mid body line than those of the hind feet.  The longest pes print of the Pula sauropod I have found and measured was about 130-140 cm. That was some truly huge titanosaur that must have measured at least 30-35 meters in length.
Here is a link for  Giraffe Walk

More theropod tracks from Pula

One of my recent finds:A theropod track (natural cast) on the beach in Pula (100 mya).

More images from Pula

Some of my last week's finds

There are fossils that can be often mistaken for the sauropod tracks. Here is a probable stromatolite from the beach in Pula.

 A human footprint from Pula! However, I am afraid I am going to disappoint any aspiring creationist. This footprint was not left in the 100 million years old carbonate rocks, but in the cement placed on top of them, quite recently (the fossil of the future).

 A storm approaching in Pula.

Some of my earlier finds:

 A Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian) theropod track for a change. The track looks like an arrow. The Istrian Natural park Cape Kamenjak.

A dinosaur footprint on Pula beach. I presume it is a theropod track.

A "double" theropod track from the Main Brijun island (Barremian) - Cape Pogledalo

More news from the Early Cretaceous of Pula

A rather "crappy" dinosaur track I have found the other day on the rocks of Pula beach. It's probably a large theropod footprint (see my interpretation on the right).

 During my last visit (last week) in Pula, the weather was warm and humid and changing frequently.
A view from the window at the shower.

A nice small theropod track. I have found more tracks near by.

 

A view at the sea before the storm.

 Lichens on an oak tree (Pula).

 "Human" footprints that are about 100 million years old on Pula beach. My theory is that these traces were left by the large fish feeding on the bottom of the shallow sea in the intertidal zone.

Podarcis siculus adriatica (Werner, 1902) Taking a sunbath on a hedge (Pula)

The view of the Cape Stoja from Zlatne stijene (Golden Cliffs) in Pula, before the storm (the other day)

 

 One of the numerous sauropod trackways in Pula (100 mya). I have found it the other day.

 A piece of rock with some kind of impression that might be a diminutive dinosaur footprint (an ornithopod?) from the Cape Kamenjak, Istria. I have picked it near the theropod track site.

Peculiar looking Pula tracks

Unusual trackway on one of Pula's beaches (Early Cretaceous). The trackway (green outline) looks as if from some animal (dinosaur) with webbed feet. Nevertheless I presume this was an ankylosaur. A theropod footprint is also present.

Small iguanodontoid tracks

Here are rather well preserved couple of small ornithopod footprints from the late Albian of Pula.

My interpretation of the tracks is the red outline in the right image. It seems there was some foot dragging and maybe even slipping over the mud.

A sauropod right pes on a building block

 A sauropod right pes on a building block of the Early Cretaceous limestone at the pier near Pula (Istria, Croatia)

I don't remember if I said it before, but Istria has been literary "littered" with the Mesozoic fossils. The dinosaur tracks can be considered as numerous and omnipresent. Which doesn't mean they are easy to find by laymen. One has to learn distinguishing them from common artifacts. The limestone erosion is prone to forming very rich array of shapes.

So, here I am, walking along the beach and looking for some familiar shapes. I get awarded quite often. Here is a nice sauropod (probably a titanosaur) right hind foot print on a building block. The production process in the quarry left it in a rather good shape. Although, the block looks slightly "flawed" because of the dinosaur impression. The photograph was taken on February 15th 2014. Red outline helps you visualise the print. There is a low displacement rim in front of the track, where it should be. The pes measures about 60 cm in length, representing a decent size track maker sauropod. The largest sauropod hind footprints I've found there measure about 130-140 cm in length. Those were true giants! 

Finding dinosaur tracks on building blocks is not that rare either. I've found many myself. Some of the tracks were found by Dalla Vecchia, as described in his paper.