Heads up ! scientist have discovered the prehistorical footprints of a prodigious dinosaur on the roof of a cave in France . Nope , this does n’t intend that giant dinosaur were dancing on the ceiling of cave like a sticky - footed Spiderman , although it go to show the wealthiness of prehistoric discoveries that could be base lurking in the geology all around us .
Recently reported in theJournal of Vertebrate Paleontology , research worker from the University of Burgundy – Franche - Comté break the three dinosaur trackways during an expedition in 2015 around the labyrinth - like Castelbouc Cave beneath the Causse Méjean plateau in southern France .
The track , made some 166 million to 168 million year ago , are highly well - preserved , complete with impression of digits , pads , and even claw . At a stonking 1.25 metre ( 4 feet ) long , the prints belonged to some of the largest experience dinosaurs worldwide .
It ’s not certain what species of sauropod was creditworthy for the track , not least because they date to an age in the Middle Jurassic when sauropod evolution is hazy . However , their sizing suggests they might have belonged to a titanosaurian , a diverse grouping of long - neck sauropod that includes the largest farming fauna known to have ever existed , such as the 37 - meter - tenacious ( 121 - foot)Patagotitanthat roamed southern Argentina .
So , how did these gentle giants ' footprints terminate up on the cave cap ? Back when sauropods was treading the Earth , the land site was on the major planet ’s surface , but geologic processes have since bury the sediment over the course of 1000000 of class . With a act of luck , the processes create a scenario where it seem the impression of the pes is embossed on the ceiling .
Reaching this portion of the cave nowadays is not so easy . The cart track are detect some 500 meters ( 1,640 foot ) beneath Earth ’s aerofoil , only approachable after cut across a wander net of caverns that are often flood with piddle after rainy enchantment . As the researcher take note , observe dinosaur tracks in this kind of surround is extremely rarified , but it suggest that the scarcely explored caves of the world could be home to much more palaeolithic treasures than thought .
“ This breakthrough certify the peachy potential of prospecting in deep karst caves that can occasionally put up larger and better - preserved surfaces than outdoor outcrops , ” the study writer write .
It ’s not the first prison term dinosaur footprint in strange circumstances have been bring out though . Back in February , researchers published another report documentinga circle of small dinosaur tracksimprinted on the ceiling of a cave near Mount Morgan in Queensland , Australia , and curious footprintsfound in a Texas quarryseem to propose these giant dinosaurs traveled in urine by punting themselves along the bottom .
