Skip to main content

Late Jurassic dinosaur footprints from Chassiron–La Morelière (Oléron Island, western France)

Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments volume 97, pages 773–789 (2017)Cite this article

Abstract

A new dinosaur tracksite was recently discovered in the Upper Jurassic deposits from the Oléron Island (Atlantic Ocean, western France). Tracks are located along the coastline in the tidal area of La Morelière near “Pointe de Chassiron”. They were observed in situ in an evaporitic interval from the “Purbeck beds” Unit. Sediments consist of calcite recrystallised after gypsum dissolution within limestone layers which are composed of thin laminites. The track-bearing surface shows abundant mud cracks and some ripple marks. Ichnofossils consist of medium-sized tridactyl footprints of theropods forming a narrow trackway. In order to obtain 3D reconstructions of the track-bearing surface, the trackway was scanned with a resolution of 0.5 mm using an Artec Eva 3D white-light scanner. As indicated by the track dimensions, the probable trackmaker is assigned to a medium-sized non-coelurosaur tetanuran, such as a megalosauroid or an allosauroid theropod. The palaeoenvironmental context is interpreted as a tidal flat in an evaporitic basin. In addition to the tridactyl tracks, we report sauropod- and thyreophoran-like tracks on two other surfaces from Chassiron–La Morelière.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

References

  • Alexander, R. M. N. (1976). Estimates of speeds of dinosaurs. Nature, 261, 129–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allain, R., & Pereda Suberbiola, X. P. (2003). Dinosaurs of France. Comptes Rendus Palevol, 2, 27–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Avanzini, M., Piñuela, L., & García-Ramos, J. C. (2012). Late Jurassic footprints reveal walking kinematics of theropod dinosaurs. Lethaia, 45, 238–252.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ayer, J., & Claude, B. (2001). Découverte d’une piste de dinosaure sauropode dans le Kimméridgien de la région de Bienne (Jura central, Canton de Berne, Suisse). Bulletin de la Société Neuchâteloise des Sciences Naturelles, 124, 149–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernier, P., Barale, G., Bourseau, J.-P., Buffetaut, E., Demathieu, G., Gaillard, C., et al. (1984). Découverte de pistes de Dinosaures sauteurs dans les calcaires lithographiques de Cerin (Kimméridgien supérieur, Ain, France). Implications paléoécologiques. Geobios, Mémoire Spécial, 8, 177–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bessonnat, G., de Lapparent, A.-F., Montenat, C., & Ters, M. (1965). Découverte de nombreuses empreintes de pas de reptiles dans le Lias inférieur de la côte de Vendée. Comptes Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences de Paris, 260, 5324–5326.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bousquet, P. (1967). Contribution à l’étude stratigraphique et micropaléontologique du Jurassique et du Crétacé de l’île d’Oléron (Charente-Maritime). Ph.D. thesis, Paris University, 180 p.

  • Brusatte, S. L., Challands, T. J., Ross, D. A., & Wilkinson, M. (2015). Sauropod dinosaur trackways in a Middle Jurassic lagoon on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Scottish Journal of Geology, sjg2015-005v1.

  • Cariou, E., Olivier, N., Pittet, B., Mazin, J.-M., & Hantzpergue, P. (2014). Dinosaur track record on a shallow carbonate-dominated ramp (Loulle section, Late Jurassic, French Jura). Facies, 60, 229–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casamiquela, R. M. (1964). Estudios icnologicos. Problemas y metodos de la icnologica con aplicacion al estudio depisadas mesozoicas (reptilia, Mammalia) de la Patagonia. Buenos Aires : Colegio Industrial Pio IX.

  • Colombié, C., Schnyder, J., & Carcel, D. (2012). Shallow-water marl–limestone alternations in the Late Jurassic of western France: cycles, storm event deposits or both? Sedimentary Geology, 271–272, 28–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conti, M. A., Morsilli, M., Nicosia, U., Sacchi, E., Savino, V., Wagensommer, A., et al. (2005). Jurassic dinosaur footprints from southern Italy: footprints as indicators of constraints in paleogeographic interpretation. PALAIOS, 20, 534–550.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coquand, H. (1858). Description physique, géologique, paléontologique et minéralogique du département de la Charente – Tome premier. Besançon: Dodivers et Cie.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corlieux, M. (1972). Etude géologique abrégée de la Charente-Maritime. Annales de la Société des Sciences Naturelles de la Charente-Maritime, supplément, 1–126.

  • D’Orazi Porchetti S., Bernardi M., Cinquegranelli A., Faria dos Santos V., Marty D., Massimo Petti F., et al. (2016). A review of the dinosaur track record from Jurassic and Cretaceous shallow marine carbonate depositional environments. In Dinosaur tracks (pp. 380–392). New Haven: Indiana University Press.

  • Dantas, P., dos Santos, V. F., Lockley, M. G., & Meyer, C. A. (1994). Footprint evidence for limping dinosaurs from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal. Gaia, 10, 43–48.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Lapparent, A.-F., & Montenat, C. (1967). Les empreintes de pas de reptiles de l'Infralias du Veillon (Vendée). Mémoire de la Société Géologique de France, 107, 1–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Lapparent, A.-F., & Oulmi, M. (1964). Une empreinte de pas de dinosaurien dans le Portlandien de l’Ile d’Oléron. Comptes Rendus Sommaires de la Société Géologique de France, 6, 232–233.

  • Delair, J. B., & Sarjeant, W. A. S. (1985). History and bibliography of the study of fossil vertebrate footprints in the British Isles: supplement 1973–1983. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 49, 123–160.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delvene, G., & Araujo, R. (2009). Early Cretaceous non-marine bivalves from the Cameros and Basque–Cantabrian basins of Spain. Journal of Iberian Geology, 35, 19–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demathieu, G. (1993). Empreintes de pas de dinosaures dans les Causses (France). Zubía, 5, 229–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demathieu, G., & Gand, G. (2003). Les sites à traces de pas de vertébrés du Trias à l’Hettangien. Contenu et interprétation. Le Naturaliste Vendéen, 3, 47–53.

    Google Scholar 

  • Demathieu, G., & Sciau, J. (1999). De grandes empreintes de pas de dinosaures dans l’Hettangien de Peyre (Aveyron, France). Geobios, 32, 609–616.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Demathieu, G., Gand, G., Sciau, J., & Freytet, P. (2002). Les traces de pas de dinosaures et autres archosaures du Lias inférieur des Grands Causses, Sud de la France. Palaeovertebrata, 31, 1–143.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diedrich, C. (2011). Upper Jurassic tidal flat megatracksites of Germany—coastal dinosaur migration highways between European islands, and a review of the dinosaur footprints. Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments, 91, 129–155.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donze, P. (1960). Les formations du Jurassique terminal de la partie NW de l’île d’Oléron, Charente-Maritime. Travaux du Laboratoire de Géologie de la Faculté des Sciences de Lyon, 5, 1–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • El Albani, A., Fürsich, F. T., Colin, J.-P., Meunier, A., Hochuli, P., Martín-Closas, C., et al. (2004). Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the basal Cretaceous vertebrate bearing beds in the northern part of the Aquitaine Basin (SW France): sedimentological and geochemical evidence. Facies, 50, 195–215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ensom, P. C. (2002). Vertebrate trace fossils in the Purbeck Limestone Group of southern England. Palaeontology, 68, 203–220.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faber, J. (1971). Les dépôts d’évaporites dans le Jurassique moyen et supérieur du Bassin d’Aquitaine. Bulletin du Centre de Recherches de Pau, 5, 371–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farlow, J. O., Pittman, J. G., & Hawthorne, J. M. (1989). Brontopodus birdi, Lower Cretaceous dinosaur footprints from the U.S Gulf Coast Plain. In D. D. Gillette & M. G. Lockley (Eds.), Dinosaur tracks and traces (pp. 371–394). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Firtion, F. (1958). Sur la présence d’ichnites dans le Portlandien de l’Ile d’Oléron (Charente-Maritime). Annales Universitatis Saraviensis, 7, 107–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gand, G., Demathieu, G., & Montenat, C. (2007). Les traces de pas d’amphibiens, de Dinosaures et autres Reptiles du Mésozoïque français : inventaire et interprétations. Palaeovertebrata, 35, 1–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garcίa-Hernández, M., López-Garrido, A. C., Pérez-Lorente, F. (2003). Pisadas de dinosaurio en calizas del transito Jurásico–Cretácico del Prebético de la Siera del Pozo (Provincia de Jaén. España). In Pérez-Lorente (Ed.), Dinosaurios y otros reptiles mesozoicos en España (pp. 41–48). Universidad de la Rioja.

  • Gascó, F., Cobos, A., Royo-Torres, R., Mampel, L., & Alcalá, L. (2012). Theropod teeth diversity from Villar del Arzobispo Formation (Tithonian–Berriasian) at Riodeva (Teruel, Spain). Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments, 92, 273–285.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gierliński, G., & Niedźwiedzki, G. (2002). Dinosaur footprints from the Upper Jurassic of Blaziny, Poland. Geological Quarterly, 46, 463–465.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gierliński, G., & Sabath, K. (2002). A probable stegosaurian track from the Late Jurassic of Poland. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, 47, 561–564.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gierliński, G., & Sabath, K. (2008). Stegosaurian footprints from the Morrison Formation of Utah and their implications for interpreting other ornithischian tracks. Oryctos, 8, 29–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gierliński, G., Niedźwiedzki, G., & Nowacki, P. (2009). Small theropod and ornithopod footprints in the Late Jurassic of Poland. Acta Geologica Polonica, 59, 221–234.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hantzpergue, P., Boullier, A., Colin, J.-P., & Abit, D. (2004). Nouveaux repères à térébratulidés (Brachiopodes) dans le Tithonien inférieur ouest-européen. Geobios, 37, 361–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haubold, H. (1971). Ichnia Amphibiorum et Reptiliorum Fossilium, Handbuch der Palaeoherpetologie Teil 18. Stuttgart: Gustav Fischer Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hitchcock, E. (1845). An attempt to name, classify, and describe, the animals that made the fossil footmarks of New England. New Haven: In Proceedings 6th Annual Meeting Association American Geologists and Naturalists (pp.23–25).

  • Hitchcock, E. (1858). Ichnology of New England. A report on the sandstone of the Connecticut Valley, Especially its fossil footmarks. Boston: William White editions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lallensack, J. N., Sander, P. M., Knötschke, N., & Wings, O. (2015). Dinosaur tracks from the Langenberg Quarry (Late Jurassic, Germany) reconstructed with historical photogrammetry: Evidence for large theropods soon after insular dwarfism. Palaeontologia Electronica, 18, 1–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landry, P. (2013). L’Ain, terre de dinosaures. Le Bugey Société Historique, Littéraire et Scientifique, 100, 53–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lange-Badré, B., & Lafon, J.-P. (2000). Découverte de pistes de dinosaures théropodes dans le Lias inférieur des environs de Figeac (Lot). Comptes Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences de Paris, 330, 379–384.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lange-Badré, B., Dutrieux, M., Feyt, J., & Maury, G. (1996). Découverte d'empreintes de pas de dinosaures dans le Jurassique supérieur des Causses du Quercy (Lot, France). Comptes Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences de Paris, 323, 89–96.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lantz, J. (1958). Etude des spores et pollens d’un échantillon purbeckien de l’île d’Oléron. Revue de Micropaléontolopgie, 1, 33–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Loeuff, J., Gourrat, C., Landry, P., Hautier, L., Liard, R., Souillat, C., et al. (2006). A Late Jurassic sauropod tracksite from Southern Jura (France). Comptes Rendus Palevol, 5, 705–709.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonardi, G. (1987). Glossary and manual of tetrapod footprint palaeoichnology. Brasília: Publicacão do Departemento Nacional da Produção Mineral Brasil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lessertisseur, J. (1955). Traces fossiles d’activité animale et leur signification paléobiologique. Mémoires de la Société Géologique de France, 74, 1–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockley, M., & Meyer, C. A. (2000). Dinosaur tracks and other fossil footprints of Europe. New York: Columbia University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockley, M. G., Farlow, J. O., & Meyer, C. A. (1994). Brontopodus and Parabrontopodus ichnogen. nov. and the significance of wide- and narrow-gauge sauropod trackways. Gaia, 10, 135–146.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockley, M. G., Hunt, A. P., Paquette, M., Bilbey, S.-A., & Hamblin, A. (1998a). Dinosaur tracks from the Carmel Formation, northeast Utah: implications for Middle Jurassic paleoecology. Ichnos, 5, 255–267.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lockley, M. G., Meyer, C. A., & Moratalla, J. J. (1998b). Therangospodus: trackway evidence for the widespread distribution of a Late Jurassic theropod with well-padded feet. Gaia, 15, 339–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockley, M. G., dos Santos, V. F., Meyer, C. A., & Hunt, A. P. (1998c). A new dinosaur tracksite in the Morrison Formation, boundary butte, southeastern Utah. Modern Geology, 23, 317–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockley, M. G., Lires, J., García-Ramos, J. C., Piñuela, L., & Avanzini, M. (2007). Shrinking the world’s largest dinosaur tracks: observations on the ichnotaxonomy of Gigantosauropus asturiensis and Hispanosauropus hauboldi from the Upper Jurassic of Asturias, Spain. Ichnos, 14, 247–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lockley, M. G., García-Ramos, J. C., Pinuela, L., & Avanzini, M. (2008). A review of vertebrate track assemblages from the Late Jurassic of Asturias, Spain with comparative notes on coeval ichnofaunas from the western USA: implications for faunal diversity in association with siliciclastic facies assemblages. Oryctos, 8, 53–70.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lockley, M. G., Gierliński, G., & Lucas, S. G. (2011). Kayentapus revised: notes on the type material and the importance of this theropod footprint ichnogenus. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, 53, 330–336.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, S. G., Lockley, M. G., Hunt, A. P., Milner, A. R., & Tanner, L. H. (2006). Tetrapod footprint biostratigraphy of the Triassic–Jurassic transition in the American southwest. The Triassic – Jurassic Terrestrial Transition New Mexico of Natural History and Science Bulletin, 37, 105–108.

  • Martín-Closas, C., Colin, J.-P., Billon-Bruyat, J.-P., El Albani, A., Mazin, J.-M., & Schnyder, J. (2008). Palaeobiogeography of the genus Latochara (fossil Charophyta) in the Upper Jurassic of Southern Europe. New data from Oléron Island (France). Geologica Croatica, 61, 177–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marty, D. (2008). Sedimentology, taphonomy, and ichnology of Late Jurassic dinosaur tracks from the Jura carbonate platform (Chevenez-Combe Ronde tracksite, NW Switzerland): insights into the tidal-flat palaeoenvironment and dinosaur diversity, locomotion, and palaeoecology. Geofocus, 21, 1–278.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marty, D., Cavin, L., Hug, W. A., Meyer, C. A., Lockley, M. G., & Iberg, A. (2003). Preliminary report on the Courtedoux dinosaur tracksite from the Kimmeridgian of Switzerland. Ichnos, 10, 209–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marty, D., Belvedere, M., Meyer, C. A., Mietto, P., Paratte, G., Lovis, C., & Thüring, B. (2010). Comparative analysis of Late Jurassic sauropod trackway from the Jura Mountains (NW Switzerland) and the central High Atlas Mountains (Marocco): implication for sauropod ichnotaxonomy. Historical Biology, 22, 109–133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mateus, O., & Milàn, J. (2010). A diverse Upper Jurassic dinosaur ichnofauna from central-west Portugal. Lethaia, 43, 245–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazin, J.-M., & Hantzpergue, P. (2013). Le gisement ichnologique de Crayssac (Tithonien Inférieur, Lot). Strata, 15, 19–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazin, J.-M., Hantzpergue, P., Bassoullet, J.-P., Lafaurie, G., & Vignaud, P. (1997). The Crayssac site (Lower Tithonian, Quercy, Lot, France): discovery of dinosaur trackways in situ and first ichnological results. Comptes Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences de Paris, 325, 733–739.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazin, J.-M., Billon-Bruyat, J.-P., Hantzpergue, P., & Lafaurie, G. (2000). Domination reptilienne dans l’écosystème littoral de Crayssac (Tithonien inférieur, Quercy, Lot). Bulletin de la Société Herpétologique de France, 96, 71–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazin, J.-M., Hantzpergue, P., & Pouech, J. (2016). The dinosaur tracksite of Loulle (early Kimmeridgian; Jura, France). Geobios, 49, 211–228.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mensink, H., & Mertmann, D. (1984). Dinosaurierfährten (Gigantosauropus asturiensis n. g. n. sp.; Hispanosaurus hauboldi n. g. n. sp.) im Jura Asturiens bei La Griega und Ribadasella (Spanien). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie Monatshefte, 7, 405–415.

  • Meyer, C. A. (1993). A sauropod dinosaur megatracksite from the Late Jurassic of northern Switzerland. Ichnos, 3, 29–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milner, A. C. (2002). Theropod dinosaurs of the Purbeck Limestone Group, southern England. Special Papers in Palaeontology, 68, 191–201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Montenat, C., & Bessonnat, G. (2003). L’ichnofaune reptilienne hettangienne du Veillon (Vendée, France). Le Naturaliste Vendéen, 3, 41–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moratalla, J. J. (2009). Sauropod tracks of the Cameros Basin (Spain): identification, trackway patterns and changes over the Jurassic–Cretaceous. Geobios, 42, 797–811.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moreau, J.-D., Gand, G., Fara, E., & Michelin, A. (2012a). Biometric and morphometric approaches on Lower Hettangian dinosaur footprints from the Rodez Strait (Aveyron, France). Comptes Rendus Palevol, 11, 231–239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moreau, J.-D., Baret, L., Trincal, V., & André, D. (2012b). Empreintes dinosauroïdes de l’Hettangien de Gatuzières (Lozère, France): Ichnologie dinosaurienne du Jurassique de Meyrueis. Association Paléontologique des Hauts Plateaux du Languedoc, Mende, Lozère, 5–11.

  • Moreau, J.-D., Baret, L., Gand, G., Fara, E., Durlet, C., & Caravaca, G. (2012c). Découverte d’un nouveau site à traces de pas de Dinosaures dans le Bathonien des Causses (Le Gayrand, Gorges de la Jonte, Lozère, France) : Ichnologie dinosaurienne du Jurassique de Meyrueis. Association Paléontologique des Hauts Plateaux du Languedoc, Mende, Lozère, 13–19.

  • Moreau, J.-D., Trincal, V., Gand, G., Néraudeau, D., Bessière, G., & Bourel, B. (2014). Two new dinosaur tracksites from the Hettangian dolomitic Formation of Lozère, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. Annales de Paléontologie, 100, 361–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Néraudeau, D., Allain, R., Ballèvre, M., Batten, D. J., Buffetaut, E., Colin, J.-P., et al. (2012). The Hauterivian–Barremian lignitic bone bed of Angeac (Charente, south-west France): stratigraphical, palaeobiological and palaeogeographical implications. Cretaceous Research, 37, 1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, P. E., Smith, J. H., & Mc Donald, N. G. (1998). Type material of the type species of the classic theropod footprint genera Eubrontes, Anchisauripus and Grallator early Jurassic, Hartford and Deerfield basins, Connecticut and Massachusetts.USA. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, 18, 586–601.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Platel, J.-P. (1980). Le Bassin gypsifère des Charentes. Synthèse des données géologiques sur le Purbecko–Wealdien. Proposition d’une méthodologie de prospection par approche géophysique. Orléans: Rapport BRGM.

    Google Scholar 

  • Platt, B. F., & Hasiotis, S. T. (2006). Newly discovered sauropod dinosaur tracks with skin and foot-pad impressions from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, U.S.A. PALAIOS, 21, 249–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Santisteban, C., Gaete, R., Galobart, A., & Suñer, M. (2003). Rastros de dinosaurios en el Jurásico terminal (facies Purbeck) de Corcolilla (Los Serranos, Valencia). In Pérez-Lorente (Ed.), Dinosaurios y otros reptiles mesozoicos en España, Ciencias de la Tierra, 26, 33–40.

  • Schnyder, J., Deconinck, J.-F., Baudin, F., Colombié, C., Jan Du Chêne, R., Gardin, S., et al. (2012). Purbeck beds (Late Jurassic) in the Phare de Chassiron section (Ile d’Oléron, NW Aquitaine Basin, France): refined age-assignment and long-term depositional sequences. Geobios, 45, 485–499.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sciau, J. (1992). Sur la piste des dinosaures des Causses. Millau: Association des Amis du Musée de Millau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sciau, J., Bécaud, M., & Gand, G. (2006). Présence de Dinosaures Théropodes et probablement, d’Onithopodes et de Sauropodes dans le marais maritime du Bajocien–Bathonien des Causses. Millau: Association des Amis du Musée de Millau.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thulborn, T. (1990). Dinosaur tracks. London: Chapman & Hall.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Thulborn, T. (2012). Impact of sauropod dinosaurs on lagoonal substrates in the Broome Sandstone (Lower Cretaceous), Western Australia. PloS One, 7(5), e36208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tribovillard, N. P. (1998). Cyanobacterially generated peloids in laminated, organic-matter rich, limestones: an unobtrusive presence. Terra Nova, 10, 126–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vullo, R., Buffetaut, E., Néraudeau, D., Le Loeuff, J., Heil, J.-F., & Dunand, M. (2012). Le “Mégalosaure” (Dinosauria, Sauropoda) de Saint-Agnant (Charente-Maritime, France): description et origine stratigraphique. Annales de Paléontologie, 98, 115–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vullo, R., Abit, D., Ballèvre, M., Billon-Bruyat, J.-P., Bourgeais, R., Buffetaut, E., et al. (2014). Palaeontology of the Purbeck-type (Tithonian, Late Jurassic) bonebeds of Chassiron (Oléron Island, western France). Comptes Rendus Palevol, 13, 421–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welles, S. P. (1971). Dinosaur footprints from the Kayenta Formation of northern Arizona. Plateau, 44, 27–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xing, L. D., Klein, H., Lockley, M. G., Wetzel, A., Li, Z. D., Li, J. J., et al. (2014). Changpeipus (theropod) tracks from the Middle Jurassic of the Turpan Basin, Xinjiang, Northwest China: review, new discoveries, ichnotaxonomy, preservation and paleoecology. Vertebrata PalAsiatica, 52, 233–259.

  • Zhen, S., Li, Y., & Zhen, B. (1983). Dinosaur footprints of Yuechi, Sichuan. Memoirs of Beijing Natural History Museum, 25, 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the association Dinoléron for technical and financial support, as well as the municipality of Saint-Denis-d’Oléron and the Direction Départementale des Territoires et de la Mer which gave permission for the palaeontological study. We thank Christophe Laurent from the society B3D for technical support during the scan of the trackway and Tandra Fairbanks-Freund (Natural History Museum Basel), for improving the English text. We thank Christian A. Meyer (Basel) and an anonymous reviewer who provided useful comments and suggestions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS UMR 6282 Biogéosciences, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 6 boulevard Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France

    Jean-David Moreau

  2. CNRS UMR 6118 Géosciences Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu bât. 15, 263 avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042, Rennes, France

    Jean-David Moreau, Didier Néraudeau & Romain Vullo

  3. Phare de Chassiron, 17650, Saint-Denis-d’Oléron, France

    Dominique Abit

  4. Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Augustinergasse 2, 4001, Basel, Switzerland

    Bastien Mennecart

  5. Institut des Sciences de la Terre de Paris (ISTeP), Sorbonne Universités, UPMC–Univ. Paris 06, CNRS, UMR 7193, 4, place Jussieu, 75005, Paris, France

    Johann Schnyder

Authors
  1. Jean-David Moreau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Didier Néraudeau
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Romain Vullo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Dominique Abit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Bastien Mennecart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Johann Schnyder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean-David Moreau.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Moreau, JD., Néraudeau, D., Vullo, R. et al. Late Jurassic dinosaur footprints from Chassiron–La Morelière (Oléron Island, western France). Palaeobio Palaeoenv 97, 773–789 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-017-0282-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-017-0282-3

Keywords

  • Dinosaur footprints
  • Theropods
  • Sauropods
  • Late Jurassic
  • White-light scanner
  • Oléron Island (France)