Formation and preservation of vertebrate tracks in semi‐liquid sediments: Insights from tidal flats and laboratory experiments

Vertebrate tracks formed in semi-liquid sediments, long assumed to have low preservation potential, can actually be well-preserved and provide valuable palaeoecological and palaeoenvironmental insights. This study, conducted on tidal flats of Mont-Saint-Michel Bay (France) and through laboratory experiments, reveals that such tracks exhibit distinct sediment structures—marginal rims, upward deformations during foot withdrawal, syn-track infilling from collapsing walls or liquefied sediment, and post-track infilling upon flooding—that reflect their formation dynamics. These findings challenge the notion of poor preservation, demonstrating high potential in tidal settings, particularly when tracks form after spring tides and consolidate during neap tides, reducing erosion risks. The study also offers a method to distinguish these tracks from other soft-sediment deformation structures, enhancing their interpretative value in fossil records.

Campos‐Soto, S., Tessier, B., Mouazé, D., Benito, M. I., Quijada, I. E., & Suarez‐Gonzalez, P. (2024). Formation and preservation of vertebrate tracks in semi‐liquid sediments: Insights from tidal flats and laboratory experiments. Sedimentology, 72(1), 5–33. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.13224