Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 Hmm. The pictures aren't sharp enough for me to see what you are seeing. Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER 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 More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 I also shaded it in a bit to help make it more visible here as well, if that helps in anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimTexan Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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 More sharing options...
snolly50 Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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 More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 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 More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 @KimTexan Should be from the Passaic Formation of New Jersey, to me it seems to be a small grallator track Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 It has the most resemblance to grallator tracks such as these. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innocentx Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 All I can say is more popcorn. "Journey through a universe ablaze with changes" Phil Ochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masp Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 Congratulations...you have something really special there. I don’t know anyone personally who can say they have a track like that awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 8 The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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 More sharing options...
Bobby Rico Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 2 "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 More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 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 More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 2 "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 More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 @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 More sharing options...
Carl Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 2 "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 More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 I agree with the voice of experience above. Throw out any initial biases, and let rigorous application of the scientific method direct your conclusions. 4 Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurufossils Posted September 25, 2018 Author Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 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. 2 "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 More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted September 25, 2018 Share Posted September 25, 2018 You might contact Dr. Patrick Getty. Can you borrow a camera from anyone? Something that has a good Macro feature? 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER 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 More sharing options...
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