Abstract
BackgroundLarge ornithopod tracks are known from the Upper Jurassic to the uppermost Cretaceous rocks of all continents but Antarctica. They include the tracks historically called Iguanodon footprints, iguanodontid footprints, hadrosaur/hadrosaurid footprints, and other large ornithopod tracks that have been used to define ichnotaxa. More than 40 ichnospecies based on large ornithopod tracks have been defined, but the validity of many of them is questionable.Methodology/Principal Findings34 ichnogenera and 44 ichnospecies have been analysed in this work. Many of them are considered to be invalid because they have been defined on the basis of poorly preserved tracks without diagnostic features, have an inadequate diagnosis, or are based on temporal and/or geographical criteria. Only eight ichnospecies belonging to the ichnogenera Caririchnium, Iguanodontipus and Hadrosauropodus are here regarded as valid.Conclusions/SignificanceThe monospecific ichnogenus Iguanodontipus (I. burreyi) is characterized by a small, rounded heel and elongate, narrow digit impressions. Its distribution is limited to the Berriasian-Valanginian of Europe. Caririchnium consists of four ichnospecies (C. magnificum [type ichnospecies], C. kortmeyeri, C. billsarjeanti and C. lotus) with a large, rounded heel and short, wide digit impressions. This ichnogenus ranges from the Berriasian-Hauterivian to the Aptian-Albian of South America, North America, Asia and Europe. Finally, Hadrosauropodus (three ichnospecies: H. langstoni [type ichnospecies], H. leonardii and H. kyoungsookimi) shows a large, bilobed heel and short, wide digit impressions. It is known from the Aptian-Albian to the Maastrichtian of North America, Asia and Europe. The ichnofamily Iguanodontipodidae includes large iguanodontian tracks characterized mainly by mesaxonic, tridactyl and subsymmetrical pes tracks that are as wide as (or wider than) long and have one pad impression in each digit and one in the heel. Its distribution is confidently limited to the Cretaceous of Europe, Asia, North America and South America.
Highlights
Large ornithopod tracks have been studied since the beginnings of vertebrate ichnology in 19th-century Europe (e.g., [1,2,3,4,5])
Caririchnium consists of five ichnospecies: C. magnificum, C. leonardii, C. protohadrosaurichnos, C. lotus and C. kyoungsookimi
The ichnotaxonomy of large ornithopod tracks has been revised: of 44 ichnospecies described in the literature only eight are here considered to be valid
Summary
Large ornithopod tracks have been studied since the beginnings of vertebrate ichnology in 19th-century Europe (e.g., [1,2,3,4,5]). Large ornithopod tracks have been found in Asia (e.g., [6,7]), North America (e.g., [8,9]), South America (e.g., [10,11]), Australia [12] and Africa [13,14] They include the tracks historically called Iguanodon footprints, iguanodont/iguanodontid footprints, hadrosaur/hadrosaurid footprints, as well as others that have been used to define ichnotaxa (e.g. Amblydactylus, Iguanodontipus, Caririchnium). Large ornithopod tracks are known from the Upper Jurassic to the uppermost Cretaceous rocks of all continents but Antarctica. They include the tracks historically called Iguanodon footprints, iguanodontid footprints, hadrosaur/hadrosaurid footprints, and other large ornithopod tracks that have been used to define ichnotaxa. More than 40 ichnospecies based on large ornithopod tracks have been defined, but the validity of many of them is questionable
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