Two new papers about Chinese dinosaur footprints

[XingLida <xinglida@gmail.com>]

Dear List,  We had two new paper about Chinese footprints here.
Ornithopod (Dinosauria: Ornithischia) Tracks from the Upper Cretaceous
Zhutian Formation in Nanxiong Basin, China and General Observations on
Large Chinese Ornithopod Footprints

Xing Li-da1*, Jerald D. Harris2, Dong Zhi-ming3, Lin You-li4, Chen
Wei5, Guo Sheng-bin4, Ji Qiang1
1) Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences,
Beijing, 100037, China
2) Physical Sciences Department, Dixie State College, 225 South 700
East, St. George, Utah 84770, USA
3) Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100044, China
4) Nanxiong County Bureau of Land and Resources, Shaoguan, 512400, China
5) Chongqing Nature Museum, Chongqing, 400013, China

Abstract: Herein we describe three trackways that pertain to
Hadrosauropodus nanxiongensis ichnosp. nov. from the Yangmeikeng track
site in the Nanxiong Basin, Guangdong Province, China. The tracks
occur in the Upper Cretaceous Zhutian Formation. The nearby Gushi
track site preserves trackways attributable to Hadrosauropodus isp.
These represent the first occurrences of hadrosaur footprints in
China. These discoveries expand the known distribution of hadrosaur
tracks from North America to China, and provides evidence for the
existence of large hadrosaurs in the Cretaceous of the Nanxiong Basin.
Other previously-described, large, ostensible ornithopod track
occurrences in China are discussed: Sinoichnites is represented only
by an informal “plastotype,” Yangtzepus is attributable to a theropod,
and Iguanodonopus is considered a nomen nudum and its specimens
attributable to Iguanodontipus. New specimens of Jiayinosauropus allow
some redescription of the ichnotaxon, and the unnamed Neixiang
footprint is redescribed.

Key words: Nanxiong Basin, Upper Cretaceous, Zhutian Formation,
Hadrosauropodus nanxiongensis, Yangtzepus, Iguanodonopus,
Jiayinosauropus, Neixiang Footprint

PDF: 
http://www.xinglida.net/pdf/Xing%20et%20al%202009-Hadrosauropodus%20nanxiongensis%20from%20Nanxiong%20Basin.pdf

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Theropod (Dinosauria: Saurischia) tracks from Lower Cretaceous Yixian
Formation at Sihetun, Liaoning Province, China and Possible Track
Makers

Xing Li-da1*, Jerald D. Harris2, Feng Xiang-yang3, Zhang Zhi-jun3
1) Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences,
Beijing, 100037, China
2) Physical Sciences Department, Dixie State College, 225 South 700
East, St. George, Utah 84770, USA
3) Department of Palaeontology, Geological Museum of China, Beijing
100034, China

Abstract: Herein we describe three and one half footprints that
pertain to Grallator isp. from the Lower Cretaceous Yixian Formation,
Sihetun, Liaoning Province, China. This is the first description of
dinosaur footprints from the Yixian Formation. The tracks were left by
at least three individual track makers. It is estimated from the
tracks that the body lengths of the track makers were 1.51 m, which is
the average length of known theropods from the Yixian Formation. The
feet of Caudipteryx and Sinosauropteryx were reconstructed. The former
was more similar than the latter to the Grallator isp. track outlines.
Feet capable of registering Grallator morphotype tracks may therefore
have been widely distributed in small-medium sized theropods (other
than dromaeosaurids and troodontids) from the Yixian Formation.

Key words: Sihetun of Liaoning Province, Yixian Formation, Lower
Cretaceous, Grallator, Track Maker

PDF: 
http://www.xinglida.net/pdf/Xing%20Harris%202009%20-%20Grallator%20isp%20from%20Yixian%20Formation.pdf

Best wishes,

*********************************************************
XING Lida

Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Science
Add.: 26 Baiwanzhuang Rd., Beijing 100037, China
Tel.:0086-10-68999707
M.P.:0086-13910733464
MSN: lidarae@hotmail.com
E-mail: dinosaur@vip.163.com & xinglida@gmail.com
Homepage: http://www.xinglida.net
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