''Brachychirotherium'' is an
ichnogenus
An ichnotaxon (plural ichnotaxa) is "a taxon based on the fossilized work of an organism", i.e. the non-human equivalent of an artifact. ''Ichnotaxa'' comes from the Greek ίχνος, ''ichnos'' meaning ''track'' and ταξις, ''taxis'' meaning ...
, a form taxon based on footprints. It is a type of
chirothere ('hand beast'), a term referring to the footprints of five-toed
Triassic
The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system (stratigraphy), system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago (Year#Abbreviations yr and ya, Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 ...
reptiles with a short fifth digit, leaving an appearance similar to a reverse human hand print. ''Brachychirotherium'' was first characterized from fossils found in Triassic beds in Germany, but has since been found in France,
South Africa,
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
,
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = National seal
, national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...
,
Bolivia, and North America.
Description
Front (manus) and rear (pes) footprints are distinguishable, though manus prints are not always preserved. The pes prints show five toes, which are proportionally shorter and stubbier than those of other chirotheres. Digit III is the longest, followed by digits II and IV, though they are all of a similar length. Digit I is notably shorter, and the impression of digit V is reduced to an oval pad at the sole. The manus prints likewise show up to five short digits, with the pad of digit V separate from the rest. The surfaces of the sole and palm are broad, and creases are indistinct. The prints were likely produced by some form of large
pseudosuchian
Pseudosuchia is one of two major divisions of Archosauria, including living crocodilians and all archosaurs more closely related to crocodilians than to birds. Pseudosuchians are also informally known as "crocodilian-line archosaurs". Prior to ...
(reptiles related to
crocodilians
Crocodilia (or Crocodylia, both ) is an order of mostly large, predatory, semiaquatic reptiles, known as crocodilians. They first appeared 95 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous period (Cenomanian stage) and are the closest living ...
), such as
aetosaurs or quadrupedal
rauisuchids
Rauisuchidae is a group of large (up to or more) predatory Triassic archosaurs. There is some disagreement over which genera should be included in Rauisuchidae and which should be in the related Prestosuchidae and Poposauridae, and indeed wheth ...
.
Species
ncomplete list
* ''B. circaparvum''
Willruth, 1971
* ''B. eyermani''
Baird, 1957
* ''B. gallicum'' (
Willruth, 1917)
* ''B. hassfurtenese''
Beurlen, 1950 (
type species
In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specime ...
)
* ''B. lorteci''
Willruth, 1971
* ''B. thuringiacum''
(Ruhle von Lilienstern, 1938)
* ''B. tintati''
Willruth, 1971
See also
*
List of dinosaur ichnogenera
This list of dinosaur ichnogenera is a comprehensive listing of all ichnogenera that have been attributed to dinosaurs, excluding class Aves ( birds, both living and those known only from fossils) and purely vernacular terms. The list includes a ...
References
Reptile trace fossils
Triassic animals
Jurassic animals
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