Fossil trackway

A fossil trackway is a type of fossil impression, a trackway made by a once living organism, usually by its feet. The majority of known fossil trackways are made by fossil dinosauria, or tetrapods, or bipeds. However other animal species also make trackways, for example ocean bottom-dwelling creatures.

An example of a water genus is the Sea scorpion genus Hibbertopterus.

The majority of fossil trackways will be foot impressions on land, or subsurface water, but other types of creatures will leave their distinctive species impressions. Examples of creatures supported, or partially supported, in a water environment are known (see Coconino Sandstone). The fossil "millipede-type" genus Arthropleura left its multilegged/feet trackways on land.

Notable trackways

The foremost example of the human species trackway, is the 3.7 mya Laetoli footprints of Tanzania.

North America trackways

The Great Plains has trackway sites in the north from Nebraska to Montana, USA. Some notable areas have numerous tracks in advanced states of erosion that extend for miles with breaks in between intersecting drainage areas, the trackways continuing on the opposite sides of the drainages.

See also

• Trackway
• Ancient trackway
• Trace fossil

External links

Dinosaur trackways:

• Photo-High Res--(Outdoor photo); Article Photo from Dakota Formation, Colorado, USA

Trilobite trackways:

• Photo-(4 cm width trackways); Article English.fossiel.net—"Explanation of Fossis Types"