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Paleontology

Atlas of the ichnofossils of the late Albian (Cretaceous) Track site of Solaris campground (Istria, Croatia)
Part I. Tridactyl footprints

Atlante degli icnofossili del sito Albiano superiore (Cretaceo) del campeggio Solaris (Istria, Croazia)

Fabio M. Dalla Vecchia & Alceo Tarlao

Abstract

This is a photographical atlas of the tridactyl footprints, probably impressed by theropod dinosaurs, exposed in the late Albian track site of the Solaris Campground near Cervera/Èrvar (Torre/Tar municipality, Istria, Croatia). Our goal is to record the fossil footprints of this site, because in the future it could be weathered away or damaged by human activity.

Riassunto

Questo è un atlante fotografico delle impronte fossili tridattili probabilmente impresse da dinosauri teropodi esposte nel sito delll'Albiano superiore del campeggio Solaris presso CerveralÈrvar (comune di TorrelTar, Istria, Croazia). Il nostro obiettivo è di fornire una testimonianza utile in futuro quando l'affioramento sarà eroso dagli agenti atmosferici o danneggiato dall ' attività umana.

Key words: Ichnofossils, Vertebrate footprints, Dinosaurs, Theropods, Cretaceous, Albian, Istria.

Fig. 1 - Location of the site along the coast of the Istrian Peninsula.

Introduction

The field work in the late Albian track site of the Solaris Campground near Cervera/Èrvar (Torre/Tar municipality, Istria, Croatia) was undertaken during the years 1995-96 thanks to a grant of The Dinosaur Society and the collaboration of the local authorities. The field work at the site has been described in DALLA VECCHIA (1996). A description of the site before the cleaning of the main footprint-bearing surface and its detailed mapping and description can be seen in DALLA VECCHIA (1994). The detailed description has been published by DALLA VECCHIA et al. (2000).

Here we report a photographical atlas of the footprints, because we are sure that without an adequate protection, the site will be destroyed in the future. A gradual deteriorationg of the quality of the footprint preservation has been observed even during the last five years of exposure to weathering. Some footprints also suffered damaging by the part of the campground visitors (the main surface is not protected by a fence and people can camp on it).

Thus, the goal of this atlas is to witness the state of the outcrop and its paleoichnological content during years 1995-1997, when the photographs have been taken. We agree that nothing can substitute the direct observation of a fossil, but we think that a detailed photographical survey is better than the complete oblivion.

When reported, the acronyms referred to the single footprints are those used in DALLA VECCHIA & TARLAO (2000).

References

DALLA VECCHIA F.M. (1994) - Jurassic and Cretaceous sauropod evidence in the Mesozoic carbonate platforms of the Southern Alps and Dinarids. In LOCKLEY M. G, DOS SANTOS V. F., MEYER C. A. & HUNT A. (eds.), Aspects of Sauropod Paleobiology, Gaia, v. 10 (1994), pp. 65-73.
DALLA VECCHIA F.M. (1996) - Lo studio del sito cretacico con impronte di dinosauro di Cervera/Èervar (Punta del Dente, Istria). Natura Nascosta, v. 13, pp. 24-33.
DALLA VECCHIA F.M. & TARLAO A. (2000) - Part II - Paleontology. In DALLA VECCHIA, F.M., TARLAO, A., TUNIS, G. & \ENTURINI, S., New dinosaur track sites in the Albian (Early Cretaceous) ofthe Istrian peninsula (Croatia). Mem. Sci. Geol. Padova, v. 52/2, pp. 227-292.
DALLA VECCHIA F.M., TARLAO A., TUNIS G. & VENTURINI S. (2000) - New dinosaur track sites in the Albian (Early Cretaceous) of the Istrian peninsula (Croatia). Mem. Sci. Geol. Padova, v. 52/2, pp. 193-292,1 map.

Source:

Fabio M. Dalla Vecchia & Alceo Tarlao, "Atlas of the Ichnofossils of the late Albian (Cretaceous) track site of Solaris campground (Istria, Croatia), Part I: Tridactyl Footprints" (Atlante degli icnofossili del sito Albiano superiore (Cretaceo) del campeggio Solaris (Istria, Croazia), Natura Nascosta, Numero 23, Anno 2001, pp. 14-23.

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