First theropod footprint identified in the middle Kimmeridgian of Buarcos (West Central Portugal): scientific and educational implications

ABSTRACT

A dinosaur track was recently discovered at Buarcos (Figueira da Foz, Portugal). The stratigraphic level is in the upper part of the Boa Viagem Sandstone Formation, and the specimen is the first evidence for the presence of middle Kimmeridgian dinosaurs in the Cabo Mondego area. This track reveals a medium size theropod estimated with one meter height to the hip. Moderate dinoturbation indicate the presence of more than one dinosaur at that time. This finding suggests that Buarcos area may have a relevant ichnological fossil record, highlighting the importance of further works in this formation. It's also a good indicator for the presence of dinosaur remains which are poorly known in this time interval. Based on the currently known stratigraphic distribution of the theropod fossil record in the Upper Jurassic of the Lusitanian Basin, the trackmaker could have been either Ceratosaurus, Lourinhanosaurus or Allosaurus. The paleoenvironment is interpreted as a deltaic alluvial plain, with small to medium size migrating channels and flooding areas. The footprint has also didactic and aesthetic features which, on display in a museum, contribute to enhance cultural and educational activities. The context of the discovery of this specimen allows to address issues on the geological heritage.

KEYWORDS:

• Dinosauria
• ichnology
• didactics
• Lusitanian Basin
• Late jurassic
• Cabo Mondego

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank Mr. Eduardo Leitão and his wife, who kindly notified us of the casual discovery of the footprint, to the Municipality of Figueira da Foz and Santos Rocha Municipal Museum, as well as to everyone who has participated in the mentioned didactic activities, contributing to study in depth educational outcomes. We are grateful to Prof. Fernando Barroso Barcenilla from the University of Alcalá (Spain) for his help and support in this research. We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers whose valuable comments improved the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through projects: Project CEECIND/01770/2018 (https://doi.org/10.54499/CEECIND/01770/2018/CP1534/CT0004) and UID/GEO/50019/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/50019/2020) Instituto Dom Luis, Universidade de Lisboa; UID/Multi/00611/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/00611/2020) and UI/BD/150971/2021, CITEUC, Centre for Earth and Space Research of the University of Coimbra, Portugal; UID/MAR/04292/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/04292/2020, https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/04292/2020) MARE, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Portugal; LA/P/0069/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0069/2020) ARNET, Aquatic Research Network, Portugal). The work was also supported by the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha, Universidad de Alcalá (SBPLY/21/180501/000242) and by the Margarita Salas contract UCM CT31/21 of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain).