Paleobiologists from several universities, including Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, the ULiverpool John Moores University and the University of Birmingham, are unveiling another chapter in the history of dinosaurs.
Recently, they unearthed three new sites filled with animal footprints. dinosaurs that date back to the distant Jurassic period, on Moroccan soil.
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The detailed study of these discoveries was published in the renowned journal Royal Society Open Science, revealing both the location of these finds and the peculiarities of the footprints.
The footprints are true treasures that transport us to a distant past, where ancient creatures roamed the Earth.
Imagine walking on the trail of a dinosaur, following in the footsteps it left millions of years ago! These fossil remains form when these ancient creatures roam moist soils, generally sedimentary in nature.
Over time, these footprints are gradually filled with new sediment, slowly turning into rock.
As environmental conditions evolve, the upper layers of sediment covering the footprints eventually wear away, revealing these prehistoric marks preserved in time.
In this exciting discovery, scientists have unearthed three previously unknown footprint sites in the Imilchil-Outerbat region, located in the Isli geological formation of Morocco.
What makes these footprints even more fascinating is their estimated antiquity, dating back approximately 145 to 165 million years, a true dive into the Jurassic past.
Each of these sites holds a treasure trove of footprints, suggesting that different species of dinosaurs may have left their mark on these ancient soils.
One of the footprint sites stands out, measuring around 61 meters long and featuring an incredible 18 trails. Of these, six are associated with sauropods, 11 with theropods and one with an ornithopod.
Another site reveals two impressive adult theropod tracks and a collection of juvenile theropod tracks. The third site, although smaller, just 5 meters long, displays a series of theropod footprints.
These footprints resemble birds, thus presenting a true marvel of evolution. However, it is worth highlighting that, even with so many incredible footprints found, researchers still face an intriguing challenge.
The association of these footprints with specific body fossils. This complex task is made difficult by the scarcity of dinosaur fossils in the region that could serve as a link between the footprints and their creators.
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