Prorotodactylus Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
Trace fossil classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Clade: | Archosauromorpha |
Clade: | Crocopoda |
Clade: | Archosauriformes |
Ichnofamily: | †Prorotodactylidae |
Ichnogenus: | †Prorotodactylus Ptaszynski, 2000 |
Type ichnospecies | |
†Prorotodactylus mirus Ptaszynski, 2000
| |
Ichnospecies | |
|
Prorotodactylus is an archosauriform ichnogenus known from fossilized footprints found in Europe. The definitive tracemaker of this ichnotaxon has been debated among paleontologists. Some researchers have suggested that prints may have been made by a dinosauromorph that was a precursor to the dinosaurs, possibly closely related to Lagerpeton, but others have questioned the dinosauromorph affinites with its relation to Lagerpeton and suggested that they represent trace fossils of other archosauriforms such as euparkeriids or pterosauromorphs. Prorotodactylus is the only ichnogenus within the ichnofamily Prorotodactylidae. Three ichnospecies are known: P. mirus (the type species), P. lutevensis and P. mesaxonichnus.