A THEROPOD (REPTILIA, DINOSAURIA) FOOTPRINT ON A BLOCK OF CRETACEOUS LIMESTONE AT THE PIER OF PORTO CORSINI (RAVENNA, ITALY)

Abstract

A tridactyl footprint referable to a theropod dinosaur, found on a limestone block of Late Hauterivian age, is described here. The block was used to build the pier of Porto Corsini (Ravenna, Italy); the site of provenance is located on the southern flank of the Cansiglio Plateau (Pordenone, Northeastern ltaly) where there are several quarries. This is the first record of a dinosaur footprint in the Cretaceous of Italy and the first indication of Hauterivian dinosaur tracks in the Periadriatic carbonate platforms.

Keywords

• Footprint
• Theropoda
• Dinosauria
• Upper Hauterivian
• Periadriatic carbonate platforms
• Cansiglio Plateau
• Northern Italy