Chelichnus
Trace fossil / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Chelichnus is an ichnogenus of Permian tetrapod footprint. The name means tortoise traces, because the shape of the prints was originally mistakenly thought to be produced by a tortoise.[1] This is now known to be incorrect, as tortoises did not evolve until much later. It was first found in Corncockle Quarry in Dumfries, Scotland, and described by Rev. Henry Duncan.[2]
Chelichnus Temporal range: Permian | |
---|---|
Track of Chelichnus duncani | |
Trace fossil classification | |
Ichnogenus: | †Chelichnus Jardine, 1850 |
Ichnospecies | |
|
In ichnology, footprints and other traces are given a genus and species name, the ichnogenus and ichnospecies, that is based on the shape of the print. However, it is almost impossible to match a track mark to the animal that made it. Chelichnus has been argued to belong to either a therapsid, or a reptile.[1] It has sometimes mistakenly been referred to as a dinosaur footprint by the media and public, but it is not, as dinosaurs did not exist at this time.