Impact of erosion on Carnian dinosaur footprint-bearing surface in Italy (free pdf)
26 views
Skip to first unread message
Ben Creisler
Jan 17, 2026, 5:22:09 PM (11 hours ago) Jan 17
to DinosaurMa...@googlegroups.com
Ben Creisler
Valerio Granata, Matteo Belvedere, Alberto Collareta, Giancarlo Molli, Walter Landini, and Lorenzo Marchetti (2026)
Estimating the impact of erosion on a Carnian dinosaur footprint-bearing surface (Lerici, Northern Apennines, Italy).
Palaeontologia Electronica 29(1):a3.
doi: https://doi.org/10.26879/1530
https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2026/5769-impact-of-erosion-on-a-carnian-dinosaur-tracksite
Archosaur footprint sites from the Upper Triassic provide critical data for understanding the origin, early evolution, and subsequent rise of dinosaurs. Track-bearing outcrops, especially those situated within areas characterized by high hydrodynamic energy, may suffer from rapid weathering and erosion phenomena. This paper assesses the impact of erosion on the Upper Triassic (Carnian) ichnosite of Lerici (La Spezia, Italy), which is known as the type locality of Evazoum sirigui, as well as for featuring a small but relatively diverse ichnofauna, including both dinosaur and non-dinosaur ichnotaxa. Novel comparative analyses were carried out using digital three-dimensional models of the main trampled surface (as preserved in the field in 2024) and the original fiberglass cast stored in the former paleontological museum in Lerici (made not later than 2003 and digitized in 2023). Most tracks appear to have suffered moderate to severe weathering, and a few have been lost. Critical measures should be taken to mitigate the erosion of this important, yet progressively vanishing, track-bearing surface. The cast itself is not without its concerns: it displays a bending deformation in its central part, possibly due to the lack of proper support and/or to the slightly incorrect re-positioning of its constituent parts, which were cast separately. Our work stands as an example of how the integrated digitization of the in-situ and ex-situ ichnological heritage allows for estimating both the erosion rates that affect the actual fossil and the quality of the artificial casts. Once again, “virtual paleontology” proves to be an irreplaceable tool for modern and future geoscientists.
===
A new paper:
Free pdf:
Valerio Granata, Matteo Belvedere, Alberto Collareta, Giancarlo Molli, Walter Landini, and Lorenzo Marchetti (2026)
Estimating the impact of erosion on a Carnian dinosaur footprint-bearing surface (Lerici, Northern Apennines, Italy).
Palaeontologia Electronica 29(1):a3.
doi: https://doi.org/10.26879/1530
https://palaeo-electronica.org/content/2026/5769-impact-of-erosion-on-a-carnian-dinosaur-tracksite
Archosaur footprint sites from the Upper Triassic provide critical data for understanding the origin, early evolution, and subsequent rise of dinosaurs. Track-bearing outcrops, especially those situated within areas characterized by high hydrodynamic energy, may suffer from rapid weathering and erosion phenomena. This paper assesses the impact of erosion on the Upper Triassic (Carnian) ichnosite of Lerici (La Spezia, Italy), which is known as the type locality of Evazoum sirigui, as well as for featuring a small but relatively diverse ichnofauna, including both dinosaur and non-dinosaur ichnotaxa. Novel comparative analyses were carried out using digital three-dimensional models of the main trampled surface (as preserved in the field in 2024) and the original fiberglass cast stored in the former paleontological museum in Lerici (made not later than 2003 and digitized in 2023). Most tracks appear to have suffered moderate to severe weathering, and a few have been lost. Critical measures should be taken to mitigate the erosion of this important, yet progressively vanishing, track-bearing surface. The cast itself is not without its concerns: it displays a bending deformation in its central part, possibly due to the lack of proper support and/or to the slightly incorrect re-positioning of its constituent parts, which were cast separately. Our work stands as an example of how the integrated digitization of the in-situ and ex-situ ichnological heritage allows for estimating both the erosion rates that affect the actual fossil and the quality of the artificial casts. Once again, “virtual paleontology” proves to be an irreplaceable tool for modern and future geoscientists.
===
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages