Diverse Middle Triassic Tetrapod Footprint Assemblage from the Muschelkalk of Germany

ABSTRACT

We describe a Middle Triassic tetrapod footprint assemblage from the Muschelkalk along the margin of the Germanic Basin. Twelve excavated footprint levels yielded the ichnogenera Synaptichnium, Isochirotherium, Chirotherium, Atreipus-Grallator, Rotodactylus, Gwyneddichnium, Rhynchosauroides, Procolophonichnium, therapsid footprints similar to Dicynodontipus, an undetermined chirotheriid with exceptionally large manus imprints and tetrapod swim traces. Track makers of the Muschelkalk assemblages were archosauromorphs and crown-group archosaurs and synapsids. The absence of mudcracks and the high diversity of tetrapods suggest a paleoenvironment with long-term availability of water and food resources.

KEYWORDS:

• Tetrapod footprints Triassic
• Muschelkalk
• Chirotherium
• Isochirotherium
• Synaptichnium
• Rhynchosauroides

Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to Sebastian Voigt and Bernt Schröder for help in documenting the section and for fruitful discussions in the field. Abdelouahed Lagnaoui and Sebastian Voigt provided constructive reviews of the manuscript. The associate editor is thanked for his helpful comments.