''Tyrannosauripus'' is an
ichnogenus of
dinosaur
Dinosaurs are a diverse group of reptiles of the clade Dinosauria. They first appeared during the Triassic period, between 243 and 233.23 million years ago (mya), although the exact origin and timing of the evolution of dinosaurs is t ...
footprint. It was discovered by geologist Charles "Chuck" Pillmore in 1983 and formally described by Martin Lockley and Adrian Hunt in 1994.
[Lockley, M. G.; Hunt, A. P. (1994). A track of the giant theropod dinosaur ''Tyrannosaurus'' from close to the Cretaceous/Tertiary Boundary, northern New Mexico. ''Ichnos'', 3(3): 213-218.] This fossil footprint from northern
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
is 86 cm long and given its
Late Cretaceous
The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', the ...
age (about 66 million years old), it very likely belonged to the giant theropod dinosaur ''
Tyrannosaurus
''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropoda, theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosa ...
rex''. In 2016 the size of this individual was estimated at 11.4 meters (37.4 ft) and 5.8-6.9 tonnes (6.4-7.6 short tons). Similar tridactyl dinosaur tracks in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
were discovered earlier and named ''
Tyrannosauropus
''Tyrannosauropus'' is a dubious ichnogenus of tridactyl dinosaur footprint from the Campanian of the Late Cretaceous of North America. ''Tyrannosauropus'' was named for a collection of footprints discovered on the ceiling of a cave in Utah wh ...
'' in 1971, but they were later recognized as hadrosaurid tracks and their description deemed inadequate, with ''Tyrannosauropus'' regarded as a ''
nomen dubium
In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application.
Zoology
In case of a ''nomen dubium'' it may be impossible to determine whether a s ...
''.
[ True footprints likely from ''Tyrannosaurus'' would not be found until the discovery of ''Tyrannosauripus''. In 2007, a large ]tyrannosaurid
Tyrannosauridae (or tyrannosaurids, meaning "tyrant lizards") is a family of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs that comprises two subfamilies containing up to thirteen genera, including the eponymous ''Tyrannosaurus''. The exact number of genera ...
track was found also in eastern Montana
Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...
( Hell Creek Formation). In 2016, a probable fossil trackway of ''Tyrannosaurus'' was discovered in Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
( Lance Formation).[Smith, S. D., Persons IV, W. S., Xing L. (2016). A tyrannosaur trackway at Glenrock, Lance Formation (Maastrichtian), Wyoming. ''Cretaceous Research'' 61, 1-4.]
References
External links
No Australian Tyrannosauropus After all - Lark Quarry Revisited
* http://www.smh.com.au/travel/activity/active/land-of-the-giants-20081113-65cf.html
Ve stopách posledních gigantů
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7861435
Dinosaur trace fossils