Tracking Korea's Early Birds: A Review of Cretaceous Avian Ichnology and Its Implications for Evolution and Behavior

Abstract

Bird tracks are abundant and ubiquitous in many Cretaceous formations in Korea. To date, in order of discovery and description, the following six ichnogenera have been reported: Koreanaornis, Jindongornipes, Uhangrichnus, Hwangsanipes, Ignotornis, Goseongornipes and ?Aquatilavipes. As more bird tracks are discovered it has become possible to amend descriptions of existing ichnotaxa to better understand track morphology (and ichnotaxonomic relationships), trackway patterns and associated feeding traces and gain further insight into the behavior and ecology. We review and re-evaluate the most important bird tracksites in Korea, with special reference to sites not previously fully or adequately described in accessible English language journals. We pay special attention to material from the Uhangri Dinosaur Museum, Haenam area, and the Gyeongsangnamdo Institute of Science Education, Gajin area, presenting revised descriptions, illustrations and information on Uhangrichnus and Goseongornipes.

Keywords:

• Bird tracks
• Cretaceous
• Korea

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Spencer Lucas, New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, and Hendrik Klein, Neumarkt Germany, for their helpful reviews.