Footprints reveal dinosaur paths in historic Oxfordshire find
In the United Kingdom, approximately 200 giant dinosaur footprints dating back 166 million years have been discovered. This finding allows scientists to track the movements of two species of dinosaurs – the herbivorous Cetiosaurus and the carnivorous Megalosaurus, reports the BBC.
The largest site for dinosaur footprints ever discovered in the United Kingdom was unearthed in a quarry in Oxfordshire. Approximately 200 gigantic footprints from 166 million years ago cross the limestone base, revealing the movements of these two dinosaur species, reports the BBC.
According to scientists, the footprints belong to the herbivorous, long-necked Cetiosaurus and the smaller, meat-eating Megalosaurus. The longest trackways extend over 150 metres and may be even longer, as only part of the quarry has been surveyed.
This is one of the most impressive track sites I've ever seen, in terms of scale, in terms of the size of the tracks, said Prof. Kirsty Edgar, a micropaleontologist from the University of Birmingham, to the BBC.
The footprints were first noticed by Gary Johnson, a quarry worker, while operating an excavator. He observed regular bulges every 3 metres and realised they might be dinosaur footprints, adds the British portal.
During the summer, over 100 scientists, students, and volunteers joined the excavations. The team found five different trackways: four belonging to sauropods that were up to 18 metres long, and one attributed to the Megalosaurus, a predator ranging from 6 to 9 metres long.
The footprints were likely preserved due to sediments deposited by storms, which covered and protected them from erosion. Prof. Richard Butler from the University of Birmingham explains that the footprints provide unique insights into the behaviour of these animals and their environment.
The research team meticulously documented the find, creating casts and over 20,000 photographs to produce 3D models. In one area, it was discovered that the paths of Cetiosaurus and Megalosaurus intersected, which helped determine the order of their passage.
