Christian A. Meyer

University of Basel | UNIBAS · Department of Environmental Sciences

Studying population ecology in the vertebrate fossil record is a difficult task because of drawbacks such as taphonomic biases. Fossil tracks, conversely, are the in situ evidence left by animals to provide data for the likely natural grouping and relative abundance. This raises the question: can we infer potential changes in populations repeatedly...

Chile's ichnological record has great potential but, apart from a few mentions in the literature, its study has been neglected. Rich track bearing levels, between Late Jurassic (Oxfordian) to Early Cretaceous in age, are known especially, but not only, from the Tarapacá to Atacama regions in northern Chile. These track-bearing sequences were deposi...

Zusammenfassung Wir stellen ein neues Fährtenvorkommen aus der Hauptdolomit-Formation der S-charl-Einheit am Piz S-chalambert Dadaint (Val d'Uina, Scuol) vor. Die Fundstelle wurde 2018 von Mario Riatsch (Sent/ Scuol) entdeckt und liegt am Westgrat auf 2840 m ü. M. Die wissenschaftliche Dokumentation war nur mit Helikopter und Seilen möglich. Die Fä...

Ichnogeneric classification of sauropod trackways is determined using qualitative and quantitative descriptions of morphological parameters. More recently, the validity of several of these parameters has been called into question (e.g., trackway gauge). This paper aims to test traditional and more novel landmark-based geometric morphometric (GM) an...

Megatracksites, popularly known as “dinosaur Freeways” are regionally extensive, stratigraphically restricted track-bearing sequences mainly associated with coastal plain facies, but in rarer cases with fluvio-lacustrine palaeoenvironments. Nine convincing, dinosaur-dominated examples are reported from the Mesozoic of North America, Europe, Africa...

Zusammenfassung: Aus dem Belchen-Member (Rhät) der spättriassichen Klettgau-Formation wer-den drei Handstücke beschrieben, die Lebensspuren von Asterozoen enthalten. Zwei Stücke stam-men von der Typus-Lokalität am Chilchzimmersattel (Belchen). Auf ihnen konnte Asteriacites lum-bricalis bzw. Asteriacites cf. stelliformis nachgewiesen werden. Letzter...

The low level of the Jurassic sea in the area of Bad Essen-Barkhausen (Wiehen Mountains, NW Germany) was a precondition for the migration of a herd of sau-ropods and theropods through this coastal area about 153 million years ago. The dinosaurs left at least 11 trackways on a single fine-grained siltstone layer and several more footprints on anothe...

A restudy of the Barkhausen dinosaur tracksite shows that the track-bearing surface reveals considerably more detail than previously indicated, and a new map is presented, showing the trackways of nine sauropods, traveling north, possibly as a group. These are among the smallest sauropod tracks recorded in Europe. There is also evidence of two larg...

Dinosaur trackways that show changes in direction are reported from Jurassic and Cretaceous sites in North and South America, Europe and Asia. Such changes in direction can be defined as tortuosity, and categorised in 45° quadrants. To date only six tortuous theropod trackways have been reported with changes in direction exceeding ¼-¾ turns (~ 45°-...

Dinosaur remains were discovered in the 1860’s in the Kimmeridgian (Late Jurassic) Reuchenette Formation of Moutier, northwestern Switzerland. In the 1920’s, these were identified as a new species of sauropod, Ornithopsis greppini, before being reclassified as a species of Cetiosauriscus (C. greppini), otherwise known from the type species (C. stew...

We present an update and a review of the Late Cretaceous dinosaur tracksites of Bolivia. The Puca Group (Coniacian – Late Maastrichtian) records the tracks and trackways of two different titanosaurid sauropods, ankylosaurs, hadrosaurs and different theropod groups from the Central Andean lacustrine back arc basin. We review the sites from the Marag...

We report on a new dinosaur tracksite in the Hauptdolomit Formation of the S-charl unit at Piz S-Chalambert Dadaint (Val d'Uina, Scuol). The site was discovered in 2018 by a local hunter on the western ridge at 2840 m a.m.s.l. and could only be accessed by us using ropes and helicopters. The footprints occur in the uppermost part of the Hauptdolomi...

The Cerro de Huayllas surfaces show tracks and trackways of minute (FL 13 cm) to large sized theropods (FL 35 cm) as well as parallel trackways of C. lazari. The Quebrada Chifon comprises two surfaces of 1300 and 1600m2 respectively, containing more than 1000 footprints of small to medium sized theropods. The Quebrada del Rio T’iratani site shows a...

The provenance of Triassic Vieux Emosson Formation, autochthonous sediments of the Aiguilles Rouges massif (External Alps), was determined from U–Pb ages of detrital zircons. In addition, two samples of Late Carboniferous sandstones from the Salvan‐Dorénaz basin were included to extend the database of potential source rocks. Overall, age data from...

Presentation type: oral communication We report on a series of enigmatic traces from the Early Jurassic of Poland that co-occur with tridactyl dinosaur tracks on the same surface. Apart from theropods, ornithischian as well as tracks of sauropods are known from coeval deposits. Swim traces of theropods and an isolated footprint of a mammal have als...

Late Jurassic theropod tracks are very common both in North Africa and Europe. Two recently described ichnotaxa Megalosauripus transjuranicus and Jurabrontes curtedulensis from the Kimmeridgian of Switzerland show the coexistence of two apex predators in the same palaeoenvironment. Similar tracks can be found in tracksites from the Iberian Peninsul...

The Cal Orck’o tracksite is exposed in a quarry wall, approximately 4.4 km NW of Sucre (Department Chuquisaca, Bolivia) in the Altiplano/Cordillera Oriental, in the El Molino Formation (Middle Maastrichtian). Fossiliferous oolitic limestones, associated with large, freshwater stromatolites and nine levels of dinosaur tracks in the El Molino Formati...

There is no abstract

A tribute to a passionate echinoderm researcher

Already back in 2011, an echinoderm special issue was published on the occasion of Hans’ 80th birthday (Meyer, 2011) and this was also the first issue of the Swiss Journal of Palaeontology. Moreover, since its appearance in 2011, Hans had published almost all of his research articles in the Swiss Journal of Palaeontology (Hess 2012, 2014a; b, c, d,...

It is often difficult to distinguish nearshore marine from non-marine non-fossiliferous quartz-rich sandstones, and in many cases the depositional environment is disputed. Detailed facies analysis is necessary to determine the environment and, although there are no ‘smoking gun’ features to delineate them, a group of specific attributes in combinat...

Two sauropodomorph trackways are known from Late Norian-Early Rhaetian lake deposits of the Flem-ing Fjord Formation in Greenland. One (Evazoum) is referable to a prosauropod, and the other (Eosau-ropus) to a basal sauropod. Tidal flat sediments of the Eastern Swiss Alps have yielded trackways of prosauropods attributed to Tet-rasauropus, despite t...

Background Minute to medium-sized (footprint length (FL) less than 30 cm) tridactyl dinosaur tracks are the most abundant in the Late Jurassic tracksites of Highway A16 (Reuchenette Formation, Kimmeridgian) in the Jura Mountains (NW Switzerland). During excavations, two morphotypes, one gracile and one robust, were identified in the field. Furtherm...

List of the specimens analysed, their quality of preservation (preservation grade) and the maximum depth. Those with preservation grade 0–0.5 are not included in the figshare file. The tracks where the variation along the trackway has been analysed are in red.

Map of the Courtedoux—Tchâfouè tracksite, level 1065 (TCH1065). In red (gracile) and blue (robust) the minute to medium-sized tridactyl tracks and in green, the larger morphtoype (Jurabrontes curtedulensis see Marty et al., 2017). Source credit: OCC-SAP, Canton Jura.

Map of the Courtedoux—Béchat Bovais tracksite, level 500 (BEB500). In red (gracile) and blue (robust) the minute to medium-sized tridactyl tracks and in green, the larger morphtoype (Morphotype II). Source credit: OCC-SAP, Canton Jura.

Map of the Chevenez—Combe Ronde, level 500 (CRO500). In red (gracile) and blue (robust) the minute to medium-sized tridactyl tracks and in green, the larger morphtoype (Morphotype II). Source credit: OCC-SAP, Canton Jura.

The Cal Orck'o tracksite lies in a quarry approximately 4.4 km to the northeast of the centre of Sucre (Dep. Chuquisaca, Bolivia) at an altitude of 3028 m.a.s.l. in the Altiplano/Cordillera Oriental. The El Molino Formation (Middle Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous) is composed of sandy limestones and claystones. Fossiliferous oolitic limestones, ass...

Background. Minute to medium-sized (FL less than 30 cm) tridactyl dinosaur tracks are the most abundant in the Late Jurassic tracksites of Highway A16 (Reuchenette Formation, Kimmeridgian) in the Jura Mountains (NW Switzerland). During excavations, two morphotypes, one gracile and one robust, were identified in the field. Furthermore, two large-siz...

Background. Minute to medium-sized (FL less than 30 cm) tridactyl dinosaur tracks are the most abundant in the Late Jurassic tracksites of Highway A16 (Reuchenette Formation, Kimmeridgian) in the Jura Mountains (NW Switzerland). During excavations, two morphotypes, one gracile and one robust, were identified in the field. Furthermore, two large-siz...

The collection and dissemination of vertebrate ichnological data is struggling to keep up with techniques that are becoming commonplace in the wider palaeontological field. A standard protocol is required to ensure that data is recorded, presented and archived in a manner that will be useful both to contemporary researchers, and to future generatio...

Confident attribution of bipedal tridactyl dinosaur tracks to theropods or ornithopods can be challenging. Here we describe trackways produced by tetanuran dinosaurs, previously attributed to hadrosaurs, from Coahuila State, northeastern Mexico. Multiple trackways headed in the same direction suggest gregarious behaviour in these late Campanian the...

The Cal Orck'o tracksite lies in a quarry approximately 4.4 km to the northeast of the centre of Sucre (Dep. Chuquisaca, Bolivia) at an altitude of 3028 m.a.s.l. in the Altiplano/Cordillera Oriental [1]. The El Molino Formation (Middle Maastrichtian, Upper Cretaceous) is composed of sandy limestones and claystones. Fossiliferous oolitic limestones,...

Megalosauripus is one of the most common theropod ichnotaxa in the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. It has been described from several localities in Europe, America, and Asia. After a controversial and still unfinished revision process, only two ichnospecies have been considered valid: M. uzbekistanicus and M. teutonicus. Recent work on the abun...

Megalosauripus is one of the most common theropod ichnotaxa in the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. It has been described from several localities in Europe, America, and Asia. After a controversial and still unfinished revision process, only two ichnospecies have been considered valid: M. uzbekistanicus and M. teutonicus. Recent work on the abun...

A new ichnospecies of a large theropod dinosaur, Megalosauripus transjuranicus, is described from the Reuchenette Formation (Early–Late Kimmeridgian, Late Jurassic) of NW Switzerland. It is based on very well-preserved and morphologically-distinct tracks (impressions) and several trackways, including different preservational types from different tr...

Description and interpretation of tracks and trackways. (DOC)

BEB500-TR7. (A) Outline drawing of the trackway (scale 1:50). (B) Photo of BEB500-TR7-L2. Scale bar 20 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of BEB500-TR7-L2. (D) False-color depth map of BEB500-TR7-L2. Depth measured in mm. (E) Photo of BEB500-TR7-R2. Scale 20 cm. (F) Interpretative outline drawing of BEB500-TR7-R2. (G) False-color depth map of B...

Trackways from level BSY1025. Outline drawings at 1:50 scale of trackways from BSY1025. (A) BSY1025-T1. (B) BSY1025-T2. (TIF)

BSY1040-T1. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of BSY1040-T1-R1 (paratype). Scale bar 20 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of BSY1040-T1-R1. (D) False-color depth map of BSY1040-T1-R1. Depth measured in mm. (E) Photo of BSY1040-T1-L2. Scale bar 20 cm. (F) Interpretative outline drawing of BSY1040-T1-L2. (G) False-colo...

TCH1020-T2. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of TCH1020-T2-L1. Scale bar 18 cm (10 cm for the black/white scale bar). (C) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1020-T2-L1. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1020-T2-L1. Depth measured in mm. (E) Photo of TCH1020-T2-R1. Scale bar 20 cm. (F) Interpretative outline drawing of TC...

TCH1025-T2. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of TCH1025-T2-L1 (paratype). Scale bar 20 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1025-T2-L1. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1025-T2-L1 Depth measured in mm. (TIF)

Trackways from level TCH1030. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of TCH1030-T3. (B) Photo of TCH1030-T3-L1. Scale bar 30 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1030-T3-L1. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1030-T3-L1. Depth measured in mm. (E) Outline drawing of TCH1030-T3 (scale 1:50). (TIF)

Trackways from level BSY1035. Outline drawings at 1:50 scale of trackways from BSY1035. (A) BSY1035-T1. (B) BSY1035-T7. (TIF)

BSY1040-T9. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of BSY1040-T9-R3. Scale bar 30 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of BSY1040-T9-R3. (D) False-color depth map of BSY1040-T9-R3. Depth measured in mm. (TIF)

TCH1000-TR1. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of TCH1000-TR1-R2. Scale bar 30 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1000-TR1-R2. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1000-TR1-R2. Depth measured in mm. (E) Photo of TCH1000-TR1-L3. Scale bar 30 cm. (F) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1000-TR1-L3. (G) False-color dep...

TCH1000-TR2. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of TCH1000-TR1-R9. Scale bar 30 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1000-TR1-R9. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1000-TR1-R9. Depth measured in mm. (E) Photo of TCH1000-TR1-L10. Scale bar 30 cm. (F) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1000-TR1-L10. (G) False-color d...

TCH1020-T3. Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (TIF)

TCH1030-T1. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of TCH1030-T1-R4. Scale bar 20 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1030-T1-R4. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1030-T1-R4. Depth measured in mm. (TIF)

TCH1020-T3. Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (TIF)

CRO500-T43. Outline drawing of the trackway (scale 1:50). (TIF)

BEB500. Outline drawings of trackways from BEB500 (scale 1:50). (A) BEB500-TR1. (B) BEB500-TR2. (C) BEB500-TR3. (D) BEB500-TR4. (E) BEB500-TR5. (F) BEB500-TR8. (TIF)

SCR1000-T23. (A) Outline drawing of the trackway (scale 1:50). (B) Photo of SCR1000-T23-R1. Scale bar 30 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of SCR1000-T23-R1. (D) False-color depth map of SCR1000-T23-R1. Depth measured in mm. (E) Photo of SCR1000-T23-L2. Scale 30 cm. (F) Interpretative outline drawing of SCR1000-T23-L2. (G) False-color depth ma...

TCH1025-T1. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of TCH1025-T1-L4. Scale bar 20 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1025-T2-L1. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1025-T1-L4. Depth measured in mm. (TIF)

TCH1030-T2. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of TCH1030-T2-R2 (paratype). Scale bar 30 cm. (C) interpretative outline drawing of TCH1030-T2-R2. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1030-T2-R2. Depth measured in mm. (E) Photo of TCH1030-T2-L3 (paratype). Scale bar 30 cm. (F) Interpretative outline drawing of TCH1030-T2-L3. (G)...

TCH1030-T7. (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (B) Photo of TCH1030-T7-L2 (paratype). Scale bar 30 cm. (C) interpretative outline drawing of TCH1030-T7-L2. (D) False-color depth map of TCH1030-T7-L2. Depth measured in mm. (TIF)

Measurement tables. (A)Measurements made on material in the collection. (B) Measurements taken in the field. (C) Averages calculated from the field data. (D)Standard deviations for the field data. (XLSX)

CPP500-T1. Outline drawing of the trackway (scale 1:50). (TIF)

SCR1000-T18. (A) Outline drawing of the trackway (scale 1:50). (B) Photo of SCR1000-T18-R1. Scale bar 20 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing of SCR1000-T18-R1. (D) False-color depth map of SCR1000-T18-R1. Depth measured in mm. (TIF)

Trackways from levels SCR1000 and TCH1000. Outline drawings at 1:50 scale of trackways from SCR1000 (A-B) and TCH1000 (C-D). (A) SCR1000-T23. (B) SCR1000-T24. (C) TCH1000-TR1. (D) TCH1000-TR2. (TIF)

Trackways from levels BSY1000, BSY1005, BSY1010, and BSY 1040. Outline drawings at 1:50 scale of trackways from different levels of BSY. (A) BSY1005-T1. (B) BSY1010-T1. (C) BSY1015-T1. (D) BSY1040-T7. (TIF)

Trackways from levels BSY1020, and BSY1025. Outline drawings at 1:50 scale of trackways from different levels of BSY. (A) BSY1020-T1. (B) BSY1025-T3. (TIF)

Trackways from level BSY1025. Outline drawings at 1:50 scale of trackways from BSY1035. (A) BSY1035-T2. (B) BSY1035-T5. (C) BSY1035-T3. (D) BSY1035-T4. (E) BSY1035-T8. (TIF)

BSY1035-T6-L2 (paratype). (A) Outline drawing at 1:50 scale. (B) Photo. Scale 30 cm. (C) Interpretative outline drawing. (D) False-color depth map. Depth measured in mm. (TIF)

BSY1040-T8. Outline drawing at 1:50 scale of the trackway. (TIF)