242 million-year-old reptile prints discovered in south-east France

[Judi Lynn]

The prints are estimated to date to ‘before the dinosaurs’ and were analysed using cutting-edge 3D scanning technology

By Hannah Thompson

Traces of footprints dating from ‘before the dinosaurs’ and estimated to be 242 million years old have been found in south-east France.

A hiker first discovered the reptile prints in a rock in Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée (Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur) in September 2020. Scientists analysed the prints to determine their origin.

Palaeontologists from the Lazaret laboratory identified them as prints belonging to a Chirotherium barthii, a type of reptile that measured three to four metres, and which lived in the arid and hostile land of Alpes-Maritimes more than 200 million years ago.

Emmanuel Desclaux, archaeologist from the Lazaret lab, told France 3: “We could observe that it was almost on the point of becoming bipedal [walking on two legs] because the footprints are much deeper at the back.”

More:
https://www.connexionfrance.com/article/French-news/242-million-year-old-reptile-prints-discovered-in-south-east-France




Chirotherium barthii

[riversedge]

1. cute little fella-or gal. History will have troll backwards on this.

[rampartc]

2. i was wondering a little about the "chirotherium."

these things seem to be known mostly by their foot prints.

and those foot prints are weird. they seem to have thumbs, but on the outsude of their feet. thats right, look at your thimbs. your thumbs are on the inside.

https://fossil.fandom.com/wiki/Chirotherium