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Nothosaur foraging tracks from the Middle Triassic of southwestern China

Author

Listed:
  • Qiyue Zhang

    (Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey)

  • Wen Wen

    (Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey)

  • Shixue Hu

    (Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey)

  • Michael J. Benton

    (School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol)

  • Changyong Zhou

    (Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey)

  • Tao Xie

    (Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey)

  • Tao Lü

    (Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey)

  • Jinyuan Huang

    (Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey)

  • Brian Choo

    (School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University)

  • Zhong-Qiang Chen

    (State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, China University of Geosciences)

  • Jun Liu

    (Chengdu Center of China Geological Survey)

  • Qican Zhang

    (Sichuan University)

Abstract

The seas of the Mesozoic (266–66 Myr ago) were remarkable for predatory marine reptiles, but their modes of locomotion have been debated. One problem has been the absence of tracks, although there is no reason to expect that swimmers would produce tracks. We report here seabed tracks made by Mesozoic marine reptiles, produced by the paddles of nothosaurs (Reptilia, Sauropterygia) in the Middle Triassic of the Luoping localities in Yunnan, southwestern China. These show that the track-making nothosaurs used their forelimbs for propulsion, they generally rowed (both forelimbs operating in unison rather than alternately), and the forelimb entered medially, dug in as the paddle tip gained purchase, and withdrew cleanly. These inferences may provide evidence for swimming modes, or it could be argued that the locomotory modes indicated by the tracks were restricted to such contact propulsion. Such punting behaviour may have been used to flush prey from the bottom muds.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiyue Zhang & Wen Wen & Shixue Hu & Michael J. Benton & Changyong Zhou & Tao Xie & Tao Lü & Jinyuan Huang & Brian Choo & Zhong-Qiang Chen & Jun Liu & Qican Zhang, 2014. "Nothosaur foraging tracks from the Middle Triassic of southwestern China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-12, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:5:y:2014:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms4973
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4973
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    Cited by:

    1. Shiqiu Liu & Adam S Smith & Yuting Gu & Jie Tan & C Karen Liu & Greg Turk, 2015. "Computer Simulations Imply Forelimb-Dominated Underwater Flight in Plesiosaurs," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(12), pages 1-18, December.
    2. Xiaoli Jing & Ruizhe Zhao & Xin Li & Qiang Jiang & Chengzhi Li & Guangzhou Geng & Junjie Li & Yongtian Wang & Lingling Huang, 2022. "Single-shot 3D imaging with point cloud projection based on metadevice," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.

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