A new dinosaur tracksite from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian–Albian) Eumeralla Formation of Wattle Hill, Victoria, Australia: a preliminary investigation

ABSTRACT

Dinosaur fossils of the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian–Albian) Eumeralla Formation (Otway Basin) of Victoria provide insights into the faunal and ichnofaunal diversity of southern hemisphere high latitude dinosaurs during the initial separation of Australia from Antarctica. To date, at least eight dinosaur fossil locations have been reported from this formation. In this paper, we describe a new tracksite locality along the coastline of Wattle Hill that represents the most westerly occurrence of dinosaur fossils in the state. Some of the Wattle Hill prints resemble tracks attributed to ornithopodan trackmakers from neighbouring tracksites of the Eumeralla Formation (Knowledge Creek, Browns Creek), while others resemble bird prints. The site also preserves a large non-avian theropod footprint that resembles Megalosauropus prints from the Lower Cretaceous (Valanginian–Barremian) Broome Sandstone, Western Australia that if correct, extends the temporospatial range of this ichnogenus. The Wattle Hill tracks vary in their erosion between and within tracksites, from a natural mould (concave epirelief), transmitted tracks, possibly penetrative tracks and infilled reliefs that resemble (but differ from) natural casts. With the constant weathering of the Eumeralla Formation exposures, it seems likely that additional dinosaur tracks fossils will be discovered with continued Victorian coastal explorations.

KEYWORDS:

• Dinosaur
• tracks
• Eumeralla Formation
• Otway Group
• Cretaceous
• Australia

Acknowledgments

The authors thank reviewers Martin Lockley and Jen Lallensack for constructive comments and helpful reviews. We thank Pat Rich and the staff of the Museum Victoria, William McConnell for advice on site geology, geologist, Margaret Lugg and Darren Gill from Apollo Bay P-12 College, Jan Lewis, Pauline Nolle, Ted Stuckey, and Irene Newton from the Apollo Bay & District Historical Society, Oliver Kerr and Kevin O’Connell (Southern Otway Landcare Network), and the staff from Parks Victoria.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no specific funding for this work.