Were non-avian theropod dinosaurs able to swim? Supportive evidence from an Early Cretaceous trackway, Cameros Basin (La Rioja, Sapin)

  1. Ezquerra, R. 2
  2. Doublet, S. 4
  3. Costeur, L. 3
  4. Galton, P.M. 15
  5. Pérez-Lorente, F. 2
  1. 1 315 Southern Hills Drive, Rio Vista, CA 94571, United States
  2. 2 Fundación Patrimonio Paleontológico de la Rioja, 26586 Enciso, La Rioja, Spain
  3. 3 University of Nantes
    info

    University of Nantes

    Nantes, Francia

    ROR https://ror.org/03gnr7b55

  4. 4 Aix-Marseille University
    info

    Aix-Marseille University

    Marsella, Francia

    ROR https://ror.org/035xkbk20

  5. 5 University of Bridgeport
    info

    University of Bridgeport

    Bridgeport, Estados Unidos

    ROR https://ror.org/01rf3yp57

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Revista:
Geology

ISSN: 0091-7613

Año de publicación: 2007

Volumen: 35

Número: 6

Páginas: 507-510

Tipo: Artículo

DOI: 10.1130/G23452A.1 SCOPUS: 2-s2.0-34250869521 GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Otras publicaciones en: Geology

Resumen

A fundamental question remaining unanswered in dinosaur behavior is whether they had the ability to swim. We report the discovery of an exceptional swimming dinosaur trackway, with 12 consecutive footprints, in lacustrine nearshore sediment from the Early Cretaceous Cameros Basin, La Rioja, Spain. The singular morphology of these footprints strongly suggests a floating animal clawing the sediment as it swam. Diagnostic traits of theropod dinosaur footprints are identifiable in these peculiar elongated S-shaped ichnites. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction indicates an upper shoreface setting with a maximum water depth of ∼3 m, substantiating the swimming hypothesis. Ichnological analysis of the trackway shows that this theropod used a pelvic paddle motion, similar to that of modern bipeds, and swam with amplified asymmetrical walking movements to maintain direction into a leftward water current. After recent hints of swimming dinosaurs, this new evidence persuasively demonstrates that some non-avian theropod dinosaurs were swimmers. © 2007 The Geological Society of America.