Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - Fossils

 

Paleontologists have confirmed fossilized tracks (footprints) made 180 to 190 million years ago in sandstone within Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. This is the first documented dinosaur tracksite in Nevada.

Dubbed the Red Rock Tracksite, dozens of tracks from the Early Jurassic period have currently been documented. 

At this point, two types of tracks and trackways are recognized from the site:

Grallator tracksGrallator tracks are footprints made by small theropod dinosaurs (two-legged, three-toed, meat-eating dinosaurs)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Octopodichnus tracksOctopodichnus tracks are footprints made by arthropods (possibly similar to modern spiders and scorpions)

  

           Red Rock Canyon                National Conservation Area

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