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Biomechanics

Dinosaur locomotion from a new trackway

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Abstract

Ardley Quarry in Oxfordshire, UK, contains one of the most extensive dinosaur-trackway sites in the world, with individual trackways extending for up to 180 metres. We have discovered a unique dual-gauge trackway from a bipedal theropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic in this locality, which indicates that these large theropods were able to run and that they used different hindlimb postures for walking and running. Our findings have implications for the biomechanics and evolution of theropod locomotion.

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Figure 1: The dual-gait features of theropod trackway 13 from Ardley Quarry, Oxfordshire, UK.
Figure 2: Deceleration phase of the 'running' section of trackway 13.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EQ, UK

    Julia J. Day, David B. Norman & Paul Upchurch

  2. Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford, OXD1 3PW, UK

    H. Philip Powell

Authors
  1. Julia J. Day
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  2. David B. Norman
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  3. Paul Upchurch
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  4. H. Philip Powell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Julia J. Day.

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Day, J., Norman, D., Upchurch, P. et al. Dinosaur locomotion from a new trackway. Nature 415, 494–495 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/415494a

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