Эртний элсэн цөлийн бүсээс олдсон мөрний ул мөр нь 135 сая жилийн тэртээ амьдарч байсан махчин үлэг гүрвэлийн шинэ төрөл зүйлийг илрүүлэх боломж олгожээ.
Бразилын Сан Пауло хотын ойролцоох Ботукату тогтоцоос олдсон энэхүү олдворыг судлаачид “Cretaceous Research” сэтгүүлд нийтэлжээ. Тус бүс нутаг нь эртний элсэн цөлийн амьдралын ул мөрийг хадгалж үлдсэнээрээ алдартай бөгөөд одоогоор үлэг гүрвэлийн ясны үлдэгдэл олдоогүй ч, мөрний хэлбэр дүрс нь шинжлэх ухаанд үл мэдэгдэх төрөл зүйл болохыг нь баталж байна. Эрдэмтэд уг амьтныг Farlowichnus rapidus хэмээн нэрлэж, шинэ ихногенус (ichnogenus) болон ихноспеци (ichnospecies) ангилалд бүртгэжээ.
Рио-де-Жанейрогийн Холбооны их сургуулийн палеонтологич Жузеппе Леонардигаар ахлуулсан судалгааны баг уг мөрийг 1.5 метр урттай, хурдан шаламгай махчин үлэг гүрвэл үлдээсэн гэж дүгнэв. Мөрний хэлбэр, алхалтын өнцөг болон нарийхан зам нь тухайн амьтны элсэн дээр маш үр ашигтай хөдөлдөг байсныг харуулж байна. Мөрний дагуу сүүл чирсэн ул мөр огт байхгүй байгаа нь түүнийг хөдөлгөөний хувьд хэр зэрэгว өндөр чадвартай байсныг гэрчилж байгаа юм.
Ботукатугийн палео-цөл нь 1.3 сая хавтгай дөрвөлжин км талбайг хамарсан дэлхийн хамгийн том чулуужсан цөл гэж үнэлэгддэг. Эндээс эртний хөхтөн амьтад болон гүрвэл төст амьтдын мөр олноор олддог ч, Farlowichnus rapidus-ийн мөр нь өвөрмөц пропорц, алхалтын хэв маягаараа ялгардаг. Энэхүү нээлт нь яс үлдээгээгүй амьтдын амьдралын хэв маягийг мөрний ул мөрөөр хэрхэн нөхөн сэргээж болохыг харуулсан чухал жишээ боллоо.
“Farlowichnus” нэрийг палеонтологийн судалгаанд оруулсан хувь нэмрийг нь үнэлж, Пердью их сургуулийн профессор Жэймс Фарлоуд хүндэтгэл үзүүлэн өгчээ. Судлаачид палеонтологийн салбарт хамтран зүтгэгчдээ ийнхүү дурсах нь эртний уламжлал болохыг онцлов.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
↓Эх сурвалжийг нээх ↓
A series of fossil footprints found in Brazil has revealed a previously unknown species of dinosaur that roamed an ancient desert around 135 million years ago. The tracks belonged to a small carnivorous theropod and were so distinctive that researchers created a new ichnogenus and ichnospecies for the animal: Farlowichnus rapidus.
The discovery comes from the Botucatu Formation near São Paulo, a site known for preserving traces of life from a vast prehistoric desert. While no bones of the dinosaur have been found, its footprints have provided enough evidence for scientists to recognize it as a previously unidentified trackmaker.
The research, published in Cretaceous Research, helps paint a clearer picture of life in the Botucatu paleodesert during the Early Cretaceous. The findings also demonstrate how fossil footprints can preserve evidence of animals that left no known bones behind.
A Small Predator Built for Life in The Dunes
The tracks were studied by a team led by paleontologist Giuseppe Leonardi of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. After examining numerous footprints from the formation, the researchers concluded that they belonged to a small, fast-moving carnivorous dinosaur about 1.5 meters long.
What caught their attention was the unusual shape and arrangement of the tracks. The footprints show a very high step angle along with long paces and strides, suggesting the animal moved efficiently across the sandy landscape.
The trackway is also exceptionally narrow. The footprints run almost parallel to the direction of movement, with only slight deviations in some sections. Researchers found no evidence of tail drag marks, another sign that the dinosaur moved with agility across the desert surface. Because these features differ from those seen in other known theropod tracks, the team established a new ichnogenus and ichnospecies, naming it Farlowichnus rapidus.
“Among the bipedal dinosaur footprints, the most common and typical are considered theropod tracks, with long strides and high step angle and always with an acuminate termination,” they said.
Tracks From The Largest Known Fossil Desert
The footprints were preserved in the sandstones of the Botucatu Formation, which records what was once an enormous desert environment. Researchers estimate that the original extent of these deposits covered at least 1.3 million square kilometers.
The study describes the Botucatu paleodesert as the largest known fossil desert on Earth. Its vast area contains one of the world’s largest megatracksites, with traces preserved across a huge portion of the ancient landscape.
The formation has produced a surprisingly diverse collection of tracks. Thousands of them left by early mammals have been documented there, along with a single trackway attributed to a lacertiform reptile.
Dinosaur tracks are also common. Most of the bipedal footprints found in the formation are assigned to theropods and are known for their long strides and pointed toe impressions. The newly discovered tracks stand out from this larger group because of their distinctive proportions and trackway pattern.
A Tribute to a Fossil Track Specialist
The name Farlowichnus was chosen to honor Professor James Farlow of Purdue University, whose work has helped advance the study of fossil tracks and dinosaur locomotion. Farlow said the gesture was appreciated and noted that naming fossils after fellow researchers is a long-established tradition in paleontology.
“It’s not unusual to name the fossil after a colleague from around the world they want to recognize, and they chose me.” He also joked about the idea of naming a species after oneself. “I thought it would be nice if somebody sometime named something after me, but I can’t say I seriously coveted it. It would be very gauche to name something after yourself.”
The study introduces a new dinosaur species based solely on footprints. Millions of years after the animal crossed the sands of the Botucatu paleodesert, those tracks are still providing clues about the creatures that once inhabited one of the most extensive desert landscapes in Earth’s history.
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