Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Made an incredible discovery at home tonight when I noticed tiny baby dinosaur tracks about only 5.1mm long on a ripple slab I had found. I've never seen baby footprints so small before, so I'm amazed. No wonder I didn't notice them for nearly two weeks after I had found them this month! Since there seems to be a partial adult on the edge it makes me wonder if this dinosaur was walking with its new born baby.

 

 

IMG_20180924_200138852 (1).jpg

IMG_20180924_200745608.jpg

IMG_20180924_200138852.jpg

IMG_20180924_200737727.jpg

IMG_20180924_200909050.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm. The pictures aren't sharp enough for me to see what you are seeing. 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Hmm. The pictures aren't sharp enough for me to see what you are seeing. 

I tried to zoom in alot more and sharpen as much as I can, its tough since I have to use a cell phone camera, hopefully this makes it somewhat clearer to spot. 

 

IMG_20180924_200138852 (2).jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting. I saw the post, but didn’t say anything , because I couldn’t see the tracks definitively. 

The shading is very helpful.

What state and formation are they from?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

pictures aren't sharp enough for me to see what you are seeing. 

Tim, I think I see the track(s) in 1st and 3rd image. It's pretty exciting and from what I think I'm seeing; certainly worthy of some pro level photo documentation.  

Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, also are remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. - Douglas Adams, Last Chance to See

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, snolly50 said:

Tim, I think I see the track(s) in 1st and 3rd image. It's pretty exciting and from what I think I'm seeing; certainly worthy of some pro level photo documentation.  

I wish I had the equipment to do so myself, so I can showcase it as clearly as I can see it in person. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations...you have something really special there. I don’t know anyone personally who can say they have a track like that :dinothumb: awesome

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5.1 mm???  A bit of caution about presumption might be useful here.  

 

Possibilities to consider...is it likely an animal trackway?  Is it possible that a wind driven plant/twig or seashell left these marks?  It is small; why the presumption of baby dinosaur...and specifically Grallator?  Were there not other small creatures with generally similar foot structure running around then?  

 

Maybe you did find tracks of a lower Jurassic critter, and hopefully, you can get better images.  Try getting confirmation from an expert researcher that is familiar with those formations.  Until then, remember that any assertions about your find have to be supported by evidence and sound reasoning.  You may have found something completely different than what you expect, but just as astounding.   ;)  

 

 

The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true.  -  JJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with John. If I were you I'd get some much better photos made and show them to the nearest dino track expert you can find.The best thing would be to show the piece in person.

 

Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger

http://www.steinkern.de/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am with John and Roger we need better photos with lighting from different angles to enhance the track . I find tracks incredibly difficult to interpret if it is not complete or in groupings. I think a museum maybe a good place to visit.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These are very interesting, and could be important specimens, but me thinks you jump to your conclusion.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, and the data is woefully lacking.

I would love to have @Carl weigh-in on this, and the procedure to pursue it.

 

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can try again for better pictures, I wish I could get the best pictures but the track is to small for the equipment I have, in my own opinion hunting/dealing with tracks I definitely see this is, so far I was able to confirm with one person who deals with lots of tracks but I do need to also reach out to more experts if possible. Examining it with magnification myself everything about it screams dinosaurian, definitely different from any insect, small reptile, amphibian, or plant matter I've seen so it's worth looking into. I would take it to the museam but I would have to plan as I can't easily transport myself there, the closest museam would be the AMH in nyc but I'm not sure how to arrange for a viewing. For now I'll see if I am able to reach out to specifically the track specialists for thier opinions. I definitely understand the skepticism as the smallest dinosaur track recorded seems to be only 1.78cm while this is much smaller at only 5.1mm, I believe if I can confirm 100% it is what it is this may be a very important find as if not a juvenile, could be a new species.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1.78 cm = 17.8 mm. 5.1 mm is in the salamander/lizard size range.

There are a LOT of things your find could be. Nothing is ruled out, but you have a long way to go to build support for your theory.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Auspex Yeah that seems to be the only issue about it is the absurdly small size, all the other qualities match up way to closely but I'll have to see what I can do to 100% prove it datawise so this will definitely be a process.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, Auspex said:

These are very interesting, and could be important specimens, but me thinks you jump to your conclusion.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof, and the data is woefully lacking.

I would love to have @Carl weigh-in on this, and the procedure to pursue it.

 

I see a fair resemblance to a Grallator track but the size almost certainly rules that out. Also, I would expect the proportions to be different from a normal-sized Grallator if this was, say, a hatchling of that taxon. Additionally, a lone track on a slab of that size is suspect as one would expect at least traces of other tracks in the trackway. Better lighting and photos are a must here. In the end, since we are considering a track, it will never be as confirmable as a fossil shell or bone would be because there is only one material there: the matrix. I'm at the AMNH and would be happy to have a look at it in person but let's see if there's sufficient reason to make the trip first.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Carl said:

I see a fair resemblance to a Grallator track but the size almost certainly rules that out. Also, I would expect the proportions to be different from a normal-sized Grallator if this was, say, a hatchling of that taxon. Additionally, a lone track on a slab of that size is suspect as one would expect at least traces of other tracks in the trackway. Better lighting and photos are a must here. In the end, since we are considering a track, it will never be as confirmable as a fossil shell or bone would be because there is only one material there: the matrix. I'm at the AMNH and would be happy to have a look at it in person but let's see if there's sufficient reason to make the trip first.

@Carl I will try my best with what I have to increase the clarity as much as possible there are other traces but they are alot more difficult to see as this is the clearest I can see maybe a partial or two in line with this one thats hard to pick up on camera, I would definitely love to make the trip to have it examined in person if at all possible because I really believe it would be worth looking at it in person, but for now I'll see what I can do with pictures to present it as best as I possibly can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Ryann10006 said:

@Auspex Yeah that seems to be the only issue about it is the absurdly small size, all the other qualities match up way to closely but I'll have to see what I can do to 100% prove it datawise so this will definitely be a process.

You should work to disprove it. Eliminate all other possibilities. A hypothesis stands until disproven.

This is how good science works.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with the voice of experience above.  Throw out any initial biases, and let rigorous application of the scientific method direct your conclusions.

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems like I'm not going to have any luck on the picture front myself unfortunately, but I will share the additional photos for now anyways.

IMG_20180925_085244798.jpg

IMG_20180925_085048130 2.jpg

IMG_20180925_085048130 3.jpg

IMG_20180925_085048130 4.jpg

IMG_20180925_093603661.jpg

IMG_20180925_093624328.jpg

IMG_20180925_093702083.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

To have an "identical right toe" on successive but unaligned bipedal tracks, he'd have been hopping.

You are trying hard to prove what you want it to be; let the evidence speak to you, and listen with a critical ear.

If you only look for and collect data that supports your desired conclusion, you will miss all that disproves it.

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You might contact Dr. Patrick Getty.

 

Can you borrow a camera from anyone? 

Something that has a good Macro feature?

 

 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...