Cretaceous mammaliaform tracks first found in South China

BEIJING -- A research team from China University of Geosciences (Beijing) announced Thursday that it has recorded, for the first time, a combination of mammaliaform and dinosaur tracks in Cretaceous strata in Huaiji county, Zhaoqing city of South China's Guangdong province.

The newly discovered mammaliaform track measures just 1.8 centimeters in length, according to the research team.

Researchers noted that it marks the first discovery of a Cretaceous mammaliaform track in south China and provides valuable insight into the diversity and paleoecology of vertebrates in the region during that period.

The study, led by Associate Professor Xing Lida with China University of Geosciences (Beijing), was conducted in collaboration with international scholars from the Republic of Korea and Brazil, and amateur fossil enthusiasts. The findings were recently published in the "Italian Journal of Geosciences."

"The newly discovered mammaliaform track is exquisitely preserved, 1.8 centimeters long, laterally oval-shaped, with four short and wide toes, rounded pads, and blunt tips," Xing said. He believes the track was likely formed in sediment in a lake or river and may have been left by a small, mouse-like animal. "This suggests mammaliaforms had a broader ecological adaptability."

The newly discovered theropod tracks in the area are three-toed dinosaur footprints with distinct claw marks, each measuring 9.5 centimeters in length. Two additional quadrupedal track specimens, each measuring 45 centimeters in length, exhibit characteristics consistent with those of sauropods.

"This marks the first documented occurrence of mammaliaform tracks in the Cretaceous of south China, enriching our understanding of the region's vertebrate diversity during that era," Xing said. "As research progresses, we expect to uncover more information about the evolutionary history and ecological dynamics of organisms from this period, with important value for both science and public education."