Floods violently swept away Texas (United States) in early July, killing at least 135 people, according to CNN. However, these damage made it possible to make an astonishing discovery in the region of Big Sandy Creek in early August: 15 large fingerprints of dinosaurs, measuring 45 to 50 cm long.
These fingerprints, listed in the limestone formation of Glen Rose for about 110 to 115 million years, have been uncovered by the violence of the weather, which took everything away with them. “They torn off the trees surrounding [les empreintes] And also swept away the earth and gravel, “said Matthew Brown, paleontologist at the University of Austin.
Several species identified
On the site of Big Sandy Creek, it is a volunteer helping the inhabitants to clear the debris which spotted the imprints. They would have been left there by three -claw dinosaurs. According to the paleontologist, these could be carnivorous species similar to acrocanthosaurus, a two -way carnivorous about 10 m long.
On another site, it is the Paluxysaurus, a large herbivore Sauropodi dinosaur, which has been identified, adds ABC News. The geological knowledge of the limestone formation of Glen Rose, the rocky layer which carries the imprints, allows in any case to be able to date them with certainty around 110 million years.
Imprints to preserve and study
On the spot, Matthew Brown provided recommendations to the state and county authorities in order to preserve these traces and prevent heavy machines from rolling over during the clearing and reconstruction of the sector. Later, the paleontologist and his teams will return to study and document the fingerprints using 3D cards and images.
In the meantime, this discovery brings a little wonder after the disaster. “It is fascinating to imagine who once traversed this region,” said a local judge. The site is also 320 km south of the Dinosaur Valley State Park, a place known for its many fingerprints of sauropods and theropods.