Across opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean more than 3,700 miles apart, researchers have uncovered footprints left by dinosaurs that could have roamed from Africa to South America when the continents were joined in a supercontinent.
The tracks were originally created about 621 miles apart over a thin sandstone layer of silt and mud on the former supercontinent Gondwanan, which later separated and formed the south Atlantic Ocean.
The study shared photos of the footprints with identical shapes that appeared to be from similiar age and geological contexts, Southern Methodist University paleontologist and lead study author Louis L. Jacobs found.
“The two continents were continuous along that narrow stretch, so that animals on either side of that connection could potentially move across it.”
Footprints left by three-toed theropods The study found that the majority of the fossil footprints were formed by theropod dinosaurs, which were characterized by their three toes and hollow bones.
Alongside the footprints, researchers also found half-graben basins, the geologic structures that formed when the Earth’s crust pulls apart.
River and lake sediments were found within the basins containing fossil pollen that are presumably 120 million years old.
Gondwana is a former supercontinent that broke off from the landmass of Pangea about 180 million years ago.
It included South America, Africa, Australia and Antarctica.
About 140 million years ago, Africa and South America began to separate, causing rifts to emerge along pre-existing weaknesses and the south Atlantic Ocean fill the space between the two newly formed continents.
Dinosaur footprints that may have traveled from Africa to South America when the continents united to form a supercontinent have been found by researchers on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean, more than 3,700 miles apart.
As per a study released on Monday by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, the over 260 footprints found in Cameroon and Brazil are thought to date back to the Early Cretaceous, possibly even earlier.
On the former supercontinent Gondwanan, which eventually broke apart to form the south Atlantic Ocean, the tracks were first formed approximately 621 miles apart over a thin sandstone layer of silt and mud.
Photos of the footprints with similar shapes that seemed to be from similar geological contexts and ages were shared by Southern Methodist University paleontologist and lead study author Louis L. Jacobs discovered.
“The elbow of northeastern Brazil nestled against what is now the coast of Cameroon along the Gulf of Guinea was one of the youngest and narrowest geological connections between Africa and South America,” according to a news release from SMU’s Jacobs. “Animals on either side of that connection could potentially move across it because the two continents were continuous along that small stretch. “.”.
Tritoed theropod footprints.
Theropod dinosaurs, distinguished by their hollow bones and three toes, were found to have left the majority of the fossil footprints. Ornithischians or sauropods are most likely the creators of a few other fossils.
The study states that paleontologists determined the hip height, speed range, and body mass for every type of footprint to come to the conclusion that all species were similar.
The footprints were discovered in the Koum Basin of Cameroon and the Borborema region of Brazil, and their location allowed scientists to determine precisely where rifts in the Earth’s crust formed as tectonic plates moved, according to the study.
The half-graben basins, which are geologic formations caused by the separation of the Earth’s crust, were discovered by researchers beside the footprints. Within the basins, sediments from rivers and lakes were discovered to contain fossil pollen that is thought to be 120 million years old.
Gondwana: What is it?
180 million years ago, the landmass of Pangea split apart to form the former supercontinent Gondwana. Africa, Antarctica, Australia, and South America were all included.
The South Atlantic Ocean fills the void created between the two newly formed continents as Africa and South America started to split apart some 140 million years ago. Rifts also formed along pre-existing weaknesses.
