New Data on Two Large Dinosaur Tracksites from the Upper Jurassic of Eastern Turkmenistan (Central Asia)
Abstract
In this study, we present new data on the Hojapil-Ata dinosaur\nmega-tracksite located in the Koitendag National Park\nof eastern Turkmenistan, central Asia. Accurate GPS mapping,\nthree-dimensional data on preserved tracks, and comparison with\nprevious studies provides now a detailed database for this site. The\ntrack-bearing surface, Upper Jurassic in age, is discontinuously\nexposed over an area of 28.500 square meters, with 24 trackways\nand at least 913 footprints preserved. The collected data support\nthe previously identified co-occurrence of the two ichnogenera\nMegalosauripus and Therangospodus and allow us to propose an\namended systematic description of M. uzbekistanicus. In addition,\na previously unreported site located a few km to the east of the\nmain tracksite is described. The track-bearing surface extends\nover 24.000 square meters, and 34 trackways and 730 footprints\nhave been mapped. These two sites represent the sole evidence\nof dinosaurs in Turkmenistan and they are among the largest\nin the world. Data collected for this study document that both\nlocalities are deteriorating at an increasing rate due to natural\nerosion and human activities. High-resolution laser scanner and\ndigital photogrammetry allowed for the realization of comparable\ndigital 3D models of dinosaur track to guarantee their fruition for\nfuture research.