Dinosaur trackways, testing for locomotor asymmetry and limping (free pdf)
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Ben Creisler
Apr 24, 2026, 11:06:26 AM (2 days ago) Apr 24
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Ben Creisler
A new paper:
Anthony Romilio (2026)
A Quantitative Framework for Assessing Locomotor Asymmetry in Dinosaur Trackways: Testing the Evidence for Limping and Lateral Preference
Fossil Studies 4(2): 9
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/fossils4020009
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-6284/4/2/9
Trackways preserve sequential records of animal locomotion and provide some of the most direct evidence of locomotor behaviour in the vertebrate fossil record. Alternating short–long pace lengths have historically been used to infer gait irregularities such as limping or lateral limb preference, but these interpretations typically lack statistical validation, treating mean asymmetry as sufficient grounds for behavioural conclusions without first establishing whether observed differences exceed normal locomotor variability. This study introduces a quantitative framework that addresses this gap by applying Welch’s t-test to pace and stride length measurements, establishing statistical confirmation of asymmetry as a prerequisite for behavioural interpretation. The framework is demonstrated on nine dinosaurian trackways drawn from published data. While all had previously been interpreted as asymmetric, seven exhibited statistically significant pace asymmetry (p < 0.05) and two did not exceed the range of normal variation. Stride length showed no significant asymmetry in any trackway, confirming that pace-level metrics are more sensitive to limb bias than stride-based measures. This framework provides an objective, reproducible standard for evaluating asymmetry claims—a necessary and feasible methodological advance for vertebrate ichnology.
Free pdf:
Anthony Romilio (2026)
A Quantitative Framework for Assessing Locomotor Asymmetry in Dinosaur Trackways: Testing the Evidence for Limping and Lateral Preference
Fossil Studies 4(2): 9
doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/fossils4020009
https://www.mdpi.com/2813-6284/4/2/9
Trackways preserve sequential records of animal locomotion and provide some of the most direct evidence of locomotor behaviour in the vertebrate fossil record. Alternating short–long pace lengths have historically been used to infer gait irregularities such as limping or lateral limb preference, but these interpretations typically lack statistical validation, treating mean asymmetry as sufficient grounds for behavioural conclusions without first establishing whether observed differences exceed normal locomotor variability. This study introduces a quantitative framework that addresses this gap by applying Welch’s t-test to pace and stride length measurements, establishing statistical confirmation of asymmetry as a prerequisite for behavioural interpretation. The framework is demonstrated on nine dinosaurian trackways drawn from published data. While all had previously been interpreted as asymmetric, seven exhibited statistically significant pace asymmetry (p < 0.05) and two did not exceed the range of normal variation. Stride length showed no significant asymmetry in any trackway, confirming that pace-level metrics are more sensitive to limb bias than stride-based measures. This framework provides an objective, reproducible standard for evaluating asymmetry claims—a necessary and feasible methodological advance for vertebrate ichnology.
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