Among the identified impressions are the tracks of theropods, carnivorous dinosaurs.
In the rocks of Sichuan province, experts from China have discovered a collection of ancient footprints. Over 20 tracks left by dinosaurs and other vertebrates 200 million years ago have been well preserved on the stone surface, reports China Daily.
Initially, an unusual relief caught the attention of one of the travelers, after which professional paleontologists joined in the study. Experts confirmed the value of the site.
The peculiarity is that the footprints were captured in several geological layers, one on top of the other. This indicates that the animals frequently visited this area, possibly to a water source or along a specific route, over a long period. The find provides a rare opportunity to trace changes in the composition of the fauna or the behavior of the ancient inhabitants of the region.
Among the identified impressions are the tracks of theropods, carnivorous dinosaurs of various age categories.
Nearby, prints resembling the shape of a hand have been found. They are associated with archosaurs—a group of reptiles that are the ancestors of crocodiles.
The context of the find is enhanced by the fossilized remains of an ancient forest: fragments of trunks and even stumps, "frozen" in a vertical position. All together, this forms a detailed snapshot of the ecosystem at the beginning of the age of dinosaurs, helping to understand the conditions in which they lived.
Useful to Know
The age of these footprints, about 200 million years, dates back to the end of the Triassic period. This was a time when dinosaurs were just beginning their path to dominance on the planet, and such finds help to understand how they spread and coexisted with other species of reptiles.
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