Archosaur swim tracks from Lower Triassic of Russia + ichnofossils from Lower Triassic of Russia + vertebrate burrows from Middle Triassic of Karoo Basin
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Ben Creisler
Feb 3, 2026, 2:50:52 PM (9 days ago) Feb 3
to DinosaurMa...@googlegroups.com
Ben Creisler
New papers:
A. G. Sennikov, A. V. UliakhinI & V. Novikov (2026)[2025]
Discovery of Triassic Archosauromorph Tracks in Eastern Europe. 1. Swim Tracks of Early Archosaurs
Paleontological Journal 59: 941–956
https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030125600532
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0031030125600532
In the recently discovered Mansurovo locality (Orenburg Region, Pervomaysky District, Lower Triassic, Lower Olenekian Substage, Gostevka Formation), in addition to macroflora and bone remains of tetrapods, numerous ichnofossils were found, including tracks of various invertebrates and archosauromorphs. In this paper, we describe swim tracks of the archosaurs Characichnos isp. from this locality, discovered for the first time in Eastern Europe.
Highlights
Seasonal burrowing at this locality led to a hyper-accumulation of tetrapod fossils.
Reniformichnus burrows were excavated by procolophonids, trirachodontids or bauriids.
Knobbly-surfaced burrow casts suggest the presence of freshwater crayfish in the Main Karoo Basin.
Crayfish were likely a food source for the procolophonids Thelephon and possibly Teratophon.
Burrowing behaviour positively selected small animals resulting in a Lilliput effect.
Abstract
Field studies conducted on the farm Lemoenfontein 44, near Aliwal North in the southern Free State Province of South Africa, have unearthed a hyper-abundant and diverse collection of amniote fossils within an outcrop of the middle Burgersdorp Formation. These fossils are attributed to the Middle Triassic Trirachodon-Kannemeyeria Subzone of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone. Two distinct types of burrow casts were identified in the same outcrop. The first type, reniform burrows, closely resemble Reniformichnus in surface morphology. These are believed to be of tetrapod origin, likely excavated by procolophonids, trirachodontids, or bauriids, whose skeletal remains co-occur in the same interval. The second type comprises of oval to sub-circular burrows with a knobbly, hummocky surface morphology. Based on these features, we propose that the burrows were likely produced by ground-dwelling crayfish, representing the first evidence of crayfish activity in the Main Karoo Basin. We propose that crayfish may have been part of the diet of the procolophonids, Thelephon, and possibly Teratophon, potentially contributing to the dominance of procolophonid remains in this interpreted floodplain lake-margin environment. We further propose that the anomalous abundance of tetrapod fossil skeletons at this site record the in-situ remnants of a former multi-taxon community of burrowing animals that excavated multiple burrows of simple geometry over many seasons of occupation.
A. G. Sennikov, A. V. UliakhinI & V. Novikov (2026)[2025]
Discovery of Triassic Archosauromorph Tracks in Eastern Europe. 1. Swim Tracks of Early Archosaurs
Paleontological Journal 59: 941–956
https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030125600532
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0031030125600532
In the recently discovered Mansurovo locality (Orenburg Region, Pervomaysky District, Lower Triassic, Lower Olenekian Substage, Gostevka Formation), in addition to macroflora and bone remains of tetrapods, numerous ichnofossils were found, including tracks of various invertebrates and archosauromorphs. In this paper, we describe swim tracks of the archosaurs Characichnos isp. from this locality, discovered for the first time in Eastern Europe.
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S. V. Naugolnykh (2026) [2025]
The Ichnofossil Assemblage from the Tikhvinskoe Locality (Yaroslavl Region: Lower Triassic, Rybinskian Horizon) as Evidence of Paleoecosystem Organization
Paleontological Journal 59: 830–856
doi: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030125600441
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0031030125600441
This article provides an integrated description of the paleobiota of the Tikhvinskoe locality (Rybinsk District of Yaroslavl Region, Russia; Lower Triassic) with a special focus on the most typical ichnofossils for this locality. Ichnofossils are split into several informal groups: (1) tracks of the horseshoe crab Limulitella volgensis Ponomarenko, which were identified as the ichnospecies Selenichnites eotriassicus Naugolnykh, (2) fish swim tracks of fish movement over the bottom, which was a dense but soft carbonate substrate; tracks of this type are identified as Undichna sp.; (3) traces of fish burrowing into the substrate with the formation of cocoons (supposed burrows of Dipnoi); (4) root traces of Radicites sp.; and (5) temnospondyl amphibian footprints, sometimes accompanied by tail and body drag marks of these animals. The author’s taphonomic observations and general information about the taxonomic composition of the Tikhvinskoe paleobiota and hypotheses on the general organization of the Tikhvinskoe paleoecosystem are presented.
S. V. Naugolnykh (2026) [2025]
The Ichnofossil Assemblage from the Tikhvinskoe Locality (Yaroslavl Region: Lower Triassic, Rybinskian Horizon) as Evidence of Paleoecosystem Organization
Paleontological Journal 59: 830–856
doi: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031030125600441
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S0031030125600441
This article provides an integrated description of the paleobiota of the Tikhvinskoe locality (Rybinsk District of Yaroslavl Region, Russia; Lower Triassic) with a special focus on the most typical ichnofossils for this locality. Ichnofossils are split into several informal groups: (1) tracks of the horseshoe crab Limulitella volgensis Ponomarenko, which were identified as the ichnospecies Selenichnites eotriassicus Naugolnykh, (2) fish swim tracks of fish movement over the bottom, which was a dense but soft carbonate substrate; tracks of this type are identified as Undichna sp.; (3) traces of fish burrowing into the substrate with the formation of cocoons (supposed burrows of Dipnoi); (4) root traces of Radicites sp.; and (5) temnospondyl amphibian footprints, sometimes accompanied by tail and body drag marks of these animals. The author’s taphonomic observations and general information about the taxonomic composition of the Tikhvinskoe paleobiota and hypotheses on the general organization of the Tikhvinskoe paleoecosystem are presented.
=====
Frederik P. Wolvaardt, Roger M.H. Smith, P.John Hancox, Claire Browning & Michael Strong (2026)
Palaeoenvironmental significance of vertebrate and invertebrate burrow casts in the Middle Triassic Burgersdorp Formation of the main Karoo Basin
Journal of African Earth Sciences 106048
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2026.106048
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1464343X26000567
Frederik P. Wolvaardt, Roger M.H. Smith, P.John Hancox, Claire Browning & Michael Strong (2026)
Palaeoenvironmental significance of vertebrate and invertebrate burrow casts in the Middle Triassic Burgersdorp Formation of the main Karoo Basin
Journal of African Earth Sciences 106048
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2026.106048
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1464343X26000567
Highlights
Seasonal burrowing at this locality led to a hyper-accumulation of tetrapod fossils.
Reniformichnus burrows were excavated by procolophonids, trirachodontids or bauriids.
Knobbly-surfaced burrow casts suggest the presence of freshwater crayfish in the Main Karoo Basin.
Crayfish were likely a food source for the procolophonids Thelephon and possibly Teratophon.
Burrowing behaviour positively selected small animals resulting in a Lilliput effect.
Abstract
Field studies conducted on the farm Lemoenfontein 44, near Aliwal North in the southern Free State Province of South Africa, have unearthed a hyper-abundant and diverse collection of amniote fossils within an outcrop of the middle Burgersdorp Formation. These fossils are attributed to the Middle Triassic Trirachodon-Kannemeyeria Subzone of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone. Two distinct types of burrow casts were identified in the same outcrop. The first type, reniform burrows, closely resemble Reniformichnus in surface morphology. These are believed to be of tetrapod origin, likely excavated by procolophonids, trirachodontids, or bauriids, whose skeletal remains co-occur in the same interval. The second type comprises of oval to sub-circular burrows with a knobbly, hummocky surface morphology. Based on these features, we propose that the burrows were likely produced by ground-dwelling crayfish, representing the first evidence of crayfish activity in the Main Karoo Basin. We propose that crayfish may have been part of the diet of the procolophonids, Thelephon, and possibly Teratophon, potentially contributing to the dominance of procolophonid remains in this interpreted floodplain lake-margin environment. We further propose that the anomalous abundance of tetrapod fossil skeletons at this site record the in-situ remnants of a former multi-taxon community of burrowing animals that excavated multiple burrows of simple geometry over many seasons of occupation.
===
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