The new ichnotaxon Eubrontes nobitai ichnosp. nov. and other saurischian tracks from the Lower Cretaceous of Sichuan Province and a review of Chinese Eubrontes-type tracks

• Published in: 古地理学报（英文版） Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 302 - 320
• Main Authors: Li-Da Xing, Martin G.Lockley, Hendrik Klein, Li-Jun Zhang, Anthony Romilio, W.Scott Persons IV, Guang-Zhao Peng, Yong Ye, Miao-Yan Wang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology,China University of Geosciences,Beijing 100083,China 2021; School of the Earth Sciences and Resources,China University of Geosciences,Beijing 100083,China%Dinosaur Trackers Research Group,University of Colorado Denver,Denver 80217,USA%Saurierwelt Pal?ontologisches Museum Alte Richt 7,92318 Neumarkt,Germany%Institute of Resources and Environment,Key Laboratory of Biogenic Traces and Sedimentary Minerals of Henan Province,Collaborative Innovation Center of Coalbed Methane and Shale Gas for Central Plains Economic Region,Henan Polytechnic University,Jiaozuo 454003,Henan Province,China%School of Biological Sciences,The University of Queensland,Brisbane,Queensland 4072,Australia%Mace Brown Museum of Natural History,Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences,College of Charleston,Charleston 29401,USA%Zigong Dinosaur Museum,Zigong 643013,Sichuan Province,China.%School of the Earth Sciences and Resources,China University of Geosciences,Beijing 100083,China
• Subjects: Ichnofossils; Myths; Theropod; Dinosaur footprints
• ISSN: 2095-3836

The Jiaguan Formation and the underlying Feitianshan Formation (Lower Cretaceous) in Sichuan Province yield multiple saurischian (theropod–sauropod) dominated ichnofaunas. To date, a moderate diversity of six theropod ichnogenera has been reported, but none of these have been identified at the ichnospecies level. Thus, many morphotypes have common"generic"labels such as Grallator, Eubrontes, cf. Eubrontes or even"EubrontesMegalosauripus"morphotype. These morphotypes are generally more typical of the Jurassic, whereas other more distinctive theropod tracks (Minisauripus and Velociraptorichnus) are restricted to the Cretaceous. The new ichnospecies Eubrontes nobitai ichnosp nov. is distinguished from Jurassic morphotypes based on a very wellpreserved trackway and represents the first-named Eubrontes ichnospecies from the Cretaceous of Asia.