First Report of Dinosaur Footprints from Madagascar: Two Tracksites from the Middle Jurassic Bemaraha Formation

Abstract

Here we report the first record of tetrapod tracks from Madagascar. We document two localities yielding dinosaur footprints, both within the Middle Jurassic Bemaraha Formation (Morondava Basin) in western Madagascar. The Sahalaly River tracksite yielded a single trackway belonging to a quadrupedal dinosaur; probably a sauropod, but a closer determination is hindered by bad preservation. In contrast, the Tsiandro tracksite yielded numerous well-preserved theropod tracks that allow some inference about the behavior of the trackmakers.

Keywords:

• Dinosaur footprints
• Bajocian-Bathonian
• Madagascar

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We wish to thank the Director of Madagascar National Parks Charles Rakotodrainibe for helping us get the authorization for our field work in the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. Director of the Park Hery Lala Ravelomanantsoa gave us invaluable logistic help in the field, overcoming the difficulties linked to the remoteness of the sites, even when our research took place outside the limits of the National Park, and therefore outside his area of pertinence. We also feel indebted to P. Vincenzo Sirizzotti and P. Elisé Ratoloniainomenjanahary of the Catholic Mission in Belo-sur-Tsiribihina, and the Malagasy Capuchin friars in general who gave us hospitality during our traveling. This publication greatly benefited from the critical review of Martin G. Lockley and Andrew R. C. Milner, who gave us important suggestions. The research was entirely financed by GRID—Gruppo di Ricerca sulle Impronte di Dinosauro.