Theropod tracks from Middle Jurassic of Tunisia
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Ben Creisler
Apr 28, 2026, 2:51:13 PM (6 days ago) Apr 28
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Ben Creisler
A new paper:
Jihed Dridi (2026)
New theropod tracks from the Callovian of Tunisia: implications for Middle Jurassic theropod diversity along the northern margin of Gondwana
Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 101189
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2026.101189
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016787826000295
Occurrences of Jurassic dinosaurs in Tunisia are extremely rare, consisting exclusively of non-avian theropod ichnofaunas recovered from Lower and Middle Jurassic formations in the Tataouine Basin, southeastern Tunisia. Despite their scarcity, these tracks represent the only evidence extending the temporal range of non-avian theropods in the country back to the Early Jurassic. However, the available specimens are isolated, exhibit low anatomical fidelity, and are restricted to limited stratigraphic intervals. Here, I report two new track-bearing horizons from the middle–upper Callovian Khechem El Miit Member in the Tataouine Basin. The lower track-bearing layer (L1), which underlies a previously described trampled horizon designated here as L2, yields medium-sized tracks with morphological and morphometric features comparable to those of the ichnogenus Grallator. The upper track-bearing layer (L3) has yielded larger footprints that represent the largest theropod tracks ever recorded in Tunisia and are attributable to Eubrontes. These findings indicate that non-avian theropods had a broader stratigraphic and geographic distribution and were more persistently present in the Tataouine Basin throughout the Jurassic than previously recognized. Moreover, the new tracks provide additional insights into the diversity and palaeobiogeographical affinities of Middle Jurassic theropods in southern Tunisia.
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Jihed Dridi (2026)
New theropod tracks from the Callovian of Tunisia: implications for Middle Jurassic theropod diversity along the northern margin of Gondwana
Proceedings of the Geologists' Association 101189
doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pgeola.2026.101189
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016787826000295
Occurrences of Jurassic dinosaurs in Tunisia are extremely rare, consisting exclusively of non-avian theropod ichnofaunas recovered from Lower and Middle Jurassic formations in the Tataouine Basin, southeastern Tunisia. Despite their scarcity, these tracks represent the only evidence extending the temporal range of non-avian theropods in the country back to the Early Jurassic. However, the available specimens are isolated, exhibit low anatomical fidelity, and are restricted to limited stratigraphic intervals. Here, I report two new track-bearing horizons from the middle–upper Callovian Khechem El Miit Member in the Tataouine Basin. The lower track-bearing layer (L1), which underlies a previously described trampled horizon designated here as L2, yields medium-sized tracks with morphological and morphometric features comparable to those of the ichnogenus Grallator. The upper track-bearing layer (L3) has yielded larger footprints that represent the largest theropod tracks ever recorded in Tunisia and are attributable to Eubrontes. These findings indicate that non-avian theropods had a broader stratigraphic and geographic distribution and were more persistently present in the Tataouine Basin throughout the Jurassic than previously recognized. Moreover, the new tracks provide additional insights into the diversity and palaeobiogeographical affinities of Middle Jurassic theropods in southern Tunisia.
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