Theropod, avian, pterosaur, and arthropod tracks from the uppermost Cretaceous Las Encinas Formation, Coahuila, northeastern Mexico, and their significance for the end-Cretaceous mass extinction

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2017 Theropod, avian, pterosaur, and arthropod tracks from the uppermost Cretaceous Las Encinas Formation, Coahuila, northeastern Mexico, and their significance for the end-Cretaceous mass extinction Wolfgang Stinnesbeck; Wolfgang Stinnesbeck † 1Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany †[e-mail] Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Eberhard Frey; Eberhard Frey 2State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe, Erbprinzenstraße 14, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Belinda Espinoza-Chávez; Belinda Espinoza-Chávez 3Benemérita Escuela Normal de Coahuila, Calzada de los Maestros s/n, Saltillo, C.P. 25000, Mexico Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Patrick Zell; Patrick Zell 4Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Friedensplatz 1, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar José Flores-Ventura; José Flores-Ventura 5Santa Engracia 257, Fracc. Santa Elena, Saltillo, Coahuila C.P. 25015, Mexico Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Héctor E. Rivera-Sylva; Héctor E. Rivera-Sylva 5Santa Engracia 257, Fracc. Santa Elena, Saltillo, Coahuila C.P. 25015, Mexico Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Arturo H. González-González; Arturo H. González-González 6Museo del Desierto, Carlos Abendrop Dávila No. 3745, Parque Las Maravillas, Saltillo, Coahuila C.P. 25015, Mexico Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar José M. Padilla Gutierrez; José M. Padilla Gutierrez 7Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico D.F. 04510, Mexico Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Francisco J. Vega Francisco J. Vega 7Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico D.F. 04510, Mexico Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Wolfgang Stinnesbeck † 1Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 234, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany Eberhard Frey 2State Museum of Natural History Karlsruhe, Erbprinzenstraße 14, 76133 Karlsruhe, Germany Belinda Espinoza-Chávez 3Benemérita Escuela Normal de Coahuila, Calzada de los Maestros s/n, Saltillo, C.P. 25000, Mexico Patrick Zell 4Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt, Friedensplatz 1, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany José Flores-Ventura 5Santa Engracia 257, Fracc. Santa Elena, Saltillo, Coahuila C.P. 25015, Mexico Héctor E. Rivera-Sylva 5Santa Engracia 257, Fracc. Santa Elena, Saltillo, Coahuila C.P. 25015, Mexico Arturo H. González-González 6Museo del Desierto, Carlos Abendrop Dávila No. 3745, Parque Las Maravillas, Saltillo, Coahuila C.P. 25015, Mexico José M. Padilla Gutierrez 7Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico D.F. 04510, Mexico Francisco J. Vega 7Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico D.F. 04510, Mexico †[e-mail] Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 17 Apr 2016 Revision Received: 01 Sep 2016 Accepted: 01 Oct 2016 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online Issn: 1943-2674 Print Issn: 0016-7606 © 2016 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2017) 129 (3-4): 331–348. https://doi.org/10.1130/B31554.1 Article history Received: 17 Apr 2016 Revision Received: 01 Sep 2016 Accepted: 01 Oct 2016 First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Wolfgang Stinnesbeck, Eberhard Frey, Belinda Espinoza-Chávez, Patrick Zell, José Flores-Ventura, Héctor E. Rivera-Sylva, Arturo H. González-González, José M. Padilla Gutierrez, Francisco J. Vega; Theropod, avian, pterosaur, and arthropod tracks from the uppermost Cretaceous Las Encinas Formation, Coahuila, northeastern Mexico, and their significance for the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. GSA Bulletin 2017;; 129 (3-4): 331–348. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B31554.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Two unique localities that combine an unusual diversity of avian, pterosaurian, and dinosaur tracks as well as trails of arthropods were recently discovered by us in uppermost Maastrichtian siliciclastic sediments of the Las Encinas Formation in the Mexican state of Coahuila, ∼40 km north of Saltillo. The trackway assemblages at Amargos and Rancho San Francisco were produced by at least six different types of birds, while trackways of azhdarchoid pterosaurs are rare. Only a single footprint was produced by a nonavian theropod. A diverse ichnofauna of arthropod traces is also present in a different facies. The tetrapod trackway assemblage was deposited during the very latest Maastrichtian, as indicated by an up to 2.5-m-thick unit with abundant smectite spherules attributed to the Chicxulub impact less than 8.5 m stratigraphically up section at Amargos. Sphenodiscus pleurisepta is the last ammonite at Amargos and may have crossed the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.