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After some huge ancient dinosaur footprints were discovered on the Isle of Skye and a team of researchers analyzed them, they finally managed to shed some light on a more mysterious period of dinosaur evolution. The dozens of tracks were reportedly left about 170 million years ago, and it seems that they belonged to theropods and sauropods from the Middle Jurassic era. According to the researchers, the discovery of these footprints is of “global importance” mainly because researchers have found very few fossil sites from this period around the world.
On the Isle of Skye, the team found them in a shallow and muddy lagoon. Now, they are extremely important in helping experts find out more details about a very important but mysterious period in dinosaur evolution. It seems that long-necked sauropods and theropods left most of these giant footprints in that area. Sauropods were as tall as 6.5ft and both species were the older cousins of the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Dinosaur footprints reveal details about a mysterious period
In order to find out more about these dinosaurs and about the period they came from, the team of experts photographed, measured and analyzed about 50 such footprints. They were all placed around a tidal area Rubha nam Brathairean (Brother’s Point), on Skye’s Trotternish peninsula. Because of the tidal conditions, the landscape changes, and the weather impact, the team found it difficult to analyze the tracks.
However, they finally managed to identify two separate track ways, apart from the large number of isolated footprints. They analyzed the clearest tracks and managed to attribute them to sauropods and theropods. The Scottish Journal of Geology recently published their impressive findings. According to Paige dePolo, who led the study, this track site is only the second discovery of sauropod footprints on Skye. Actually, the Isle of Skye is full of such footprints and the team is now planning to search for more.
Image source: flickr
