Large Pelycosaur Footprints from the Lower Pennsylvanian of Alabama, USA

Abstract

Relatively large tetrapod footprints from Lower Pennsylvanian strata of the Pottsville Formation in the Warrior basin coal field of Alabama were previously assigned to the ichnogenus Attenosaurus. However, three morphotypes are present, and we assign these tracks to Attenosaurus, a new ichnogenus (Alabamasauripus) and Dimetropus. Most of these tracks apparently were made by large pelycosaurs, for which there is no bone record older than Late Pennsylvanian.

Keywords:

• Alabama
• Pennsylvanian
• pelycosaur
• trackways
• Dimetropus

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Andy Rindsberg, Tony Martin, Steve Minkin, Ron Buta, Prescott Atkinson, Bruce Relihan, and other friends and colleagues in Alabama for sharing information and making access to specimens possible. Brent Breithaupt and John Foster provided helpful reviews of the manuscript.