Zanclonychopus, Sarjeant & Langston, 1994

Abbassi, Nasrollah, Salehi Tinooni, Mohammad, Ghorbani Dehnavi, Mahdi, Shakeri, Safoora & Eshaghi, Ali, 2024, Oligocene vertebrate footprints from the Lower Red Formation, Central Iran, Fossil Record 27 (2), pp. 265-287 : 265-287

Ichnospecies Zanclonychopus isp.

Fig. 10

Material.

Two footprints of a trackway, molded by plaster ( IFMI -688 ) .

Description.

These footprints belong to manus and pes imprints of a trackway, preserved as convex hyporelief on the lower bedding plane of a large, thick slab of sandstone (Fig. 10 A – C ). Half of the pes imprint is preserved, and the manus imprint is complete. Pes and manus are separated and do not overlap. Based on the size and depth of penetration, the smaller front footprint was considered as pes and the larger one behind as a manus imprint; usually, mammals have a larger manus footprint. The metatarsal / metacarpal are the deepest part of the footprints, and digit imprints are not clear in footprints; the claw imprints, however, are distinct as a drop-shape slightly curved with sharp tips (Fig. 10 D ). Four digit and claw imprints are visible in the manus with an unclear digit V imprint. The pes imprint is not deeper than the manus and comprises unclear digit imprints (Fig. 10 E, F ). It seems that trackway width is larger, and the manus has more inward orientation than the pes.

Discussion.

Zanclonychopus was recorded as a large carnivore footprint with monotypy and has not previously been reported outside of North America. The studied footprints from Deh Nar have indistinct digit imprints, but one side has inclined claw imprints that are clear. Based on the size and morphology of the studied footprints, Zanclonychopus is the nearest ichnogenus name for the Deh Nar footprints, and this is the first report of Zanclonychopus outside of North America.

Figures

Figure 10. Zanclonychopus isp. in the studied slab (A), and its plaster mold (B IFMI - 688), with sketch (C) and close up view, sharp tips of digit imprints are distinct (D). Photogrammetric false-color depth maps in perpendicular and lateral views (E, F).