Ichniotherium Explained

Ichniotherium (meaning "marking creature") is an ichnogenus of tetrapod footprints from between the Late Carboniferous period to the Early Permian period attributed to diadectomorph track-makers.^{[1] [2]} These footprints are commonly found in Europe, and have also been identified in North America and Morocco.^[3] Three ichnospecies of Ichniotherium have been proposed as valid: I. cotta, I. sphaerodactylum, and I. praesidentis.

In a 2007 study, the diadectid species Diadectes absitus was determined to be the track-maker associated with I. cotta tracks, and the related diadectid species Orobates pabsti was linked to I. praesidentis based on analysis of Lower Permian trackways and fossils skeletons in Germany^{[4] [5]}

Notes and References

1. Buchwitz M & Voigt S. (2018) On the morphological variability of Ichniotherium tracks and evolution of locomotion in the sistergroup of amniotes. PeerJ 6:e4346 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.4346
2. Web site: Geopark Karnische Alpen: Research_more. www.geopark-karnische-alpen.at. 23 February 2018. de.
3. Book: Lucas. Spencer G.. Zeigler. Kate E.. Spielmann. Justin A.. The Permian of Central New Mexico: Bulletin 31. 2005. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. 63. en.
4. Voigt. Sebastian. Berman. David S. Henrici. Amy C.. First well-established track-trackmaker association of paleozoic tetrapods based on trackways and diadectid skeletons from the Lower Permian of Germany. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 12 September 2007. 27. 3. 553–570. 10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[553:fwtaop]2.0.co;2. 131256847 .
5. Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. (2007, September 18). "Who Went There? Matching Fossil Tracks With Their Makers". ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 21, 2018 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070915092239.htm