Footprint type
Parabrontopodus
Parabrontopodus is a footprint type: the name is for the fossil footprints themselves. The animal that made them is not known for certain. Its footprints are found in rocks 154.8–100.5 million years old in 12 countries, most often Germany and the United States.
Confidence labels are switched off. Facts with low confidence, or where sources disagree, still carry a small dot: tap it for the reason.
At a glance
Data as of 11 October 2026- Named by
- Lockley et al. 1995
disputed
low: Sources disagree and an editor has not ruled yet.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Described in
- M. G. Lockley, J. O. Farlow, C. A. Meyer (1995). Brontopodus and Parabrontopodus ichnogen. nov. and the significance of wide- and narrow-gauge sauropod trackways. Aspects of Sauropod Paleobiology. GAIA 10: 135–145.
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; its author and year match the naming authority (Lockley et al. 1995).Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. The publication the Paleobiology Database gives as the authority for this genus name, usually the one that first named and described it.
- Dated to
- Hettangian to Albian, 201.4–100.5 million years ago
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Omnisaura calculation154.8–100.5 million years ago, from its dated fossil recordsmedium
medium: Omnisaura's calculation from 22 confirmed PBDB records.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Found in
- ChinaFrance
medium
medium: Only PBDB records it (7 records).Germanymedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Italymedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Polandmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (5 records).Portugalmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Spainmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Switzerlandmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).United Statesmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Chilemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Croatialow
low: Only one PBDB record.Romanialow
low: Only one PBDB record.low
low: Only one PBDB record.mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: Union of all sources (ISO 3166).
- Rock formations
- 18, including Mengtuan, Morrison Formation, Süntel and Azóia
mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.Show all 18, each with its confidence
AzóiaCouches du Chailleymedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Mengtuanmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Monte Zugnamedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Morrison Formationmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Sklobymedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Süntelmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Zagajemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Huértelesmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Loppio Oolitic Limestonelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Poreclow
low: Only one PBDB record.Reuchenettelow
low: Only one PBDB record.San Salvadorlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Shaximiaolow
low: Only one PBDB record.Steierdorflow
low: Only one PBDB record.Tianjialoulow
low: Only one PBDB record.Twannbachlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Villar del Arzobispolow
low: Only one PBDB record.low
low: Only one PBDB record.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: Canonical names, automatic and editor-approved matches applied.
- Footprint family
- Parabrontopodidae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Parent group
- Parabrontopodidae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Species named in its records
- Parabrontopodus distercii, Parabrontopodus mcintoshi
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (the species its fossil records are identified as).
- Older or other names
- Elephantopoides (a junior synonym)
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (names it treats as this genus).
- Known from
- Footprints and traces
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (what the name was based on).
- Made by
- Not known for certain. Footprints rarely show which animal made them.
Gaps are answers
What isn't known yet
- The animal that made them: not known for certain, as for most footprint types.
- Type species: no source we use gives it yet.
- Order: no source we use gives it yet.
- Common names: no source we use gives it yet.
- What it was named after: no source we use gives it yet.
- Held back: 10 fossil records left out: identified only tentatively (for example "cf.", "?" or the name in quotation marks).
- Resting on one source: 3 facts come from a single source with nothing against them (rated medium): parent group (PBDB); family (PBDB); age (headline) (PBDB).
Size and appearance aren't covered yet, and diet and way of life only as PBDB infers them for the wider group. Omnisaura leaves the rest out rather than guess.
Where sources disagree
1 openAuthority
- Lockley et al. 1995PBDB (shown above)
- et al., 1995Wikidata
The sources give different values. An editor hasn't ruled yet, so this is rated low until they do.
Did it meet…?
No. Parabrontopodus had gone at least 16.9 million years before Tyrannosaurus appears in the fossil record.
Going by the ages and rock formations of their dated fossils, as on the map. Compare their fossil sites on the map.
Connections
Genera linked to Parabrontopodus by where and when their fossils were found, by classification and by who named them. Select a name to open its page.
Found in the same rocks 47
Genera and other fossil types from the same rock units, from rocks of overlapping age, the most shared fossil sites first.
Named by Lockley 11
Genera whose naming authority includes the same surname. The authority has no initials, so different people who share a surname can appear together.
Found in Germany 4
Other genera found in Germany, from rocks of overlapping age, the most fossil sites there first.
Credits
Where this page comes from
- Paleobiology DatabaseCC BY 4.0 · fossil records, ages, classification
- Natural History Museum Data PortalCC0 1.0 · catalogued specimens
- WikidataCC0 1.0 · names and identifiers
- OmnisauraOmnisaura editorial · confidence levels and gaps
- PaleoMAP PaleoCoastlines (Kocsis and Scotese 2021)CC BY 4.0 · ancient coastlines on the small map
- Natural EarthPublic domain · today's coastlines
Pictures linked from this page are credited beside each one, with their own licences; the full list is in the JSON download.