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][1] Three ichnospecies of Ichniotherium have been proposed as valid: I. cotta, I. sphaerodactylum, and I. praesidentis.[1]

Ichniotherium
Temporal range: Late Carboniferous–Early Permian
Trace fossil classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Tetrapoda
Clade: Reptiliomorpha
Order: Diadectomorpha
Ichnogenus: Ichniotherium
Pohlig, 1892

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]

References

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  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ "Geopark Karnische Alpen: Research_more". www.geopark-karnische-alpen.at (in German). Retrieved 23 February 2018.
  3. ^ Lucas, Spencer G.; Zeigler, Kate E.; Spielmann, Justin A. (2005). The Permian of Central New Mexico: Bulletin 31. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. p. 63.
  4. ^ Voigt, Sebastian; Berman, David S; Henrici, Amy C. (12 September 2007). "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. 27 (3): 553–570. doi:10.1671/0272-4634(2007)27[553:fwtaop]2.0.co;2. S2CID 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