View article

Although tracks of dinosaurs are well known from Upper Jurassic sediments, tracks of non− dinosaurian vertebrates are fairly rare. The Upper Jurassic Lastres Formations of Asturias in northern Spain contain many vertebrate tracksites that include footprints and trackways of non− dinosaurian tetrapods. Several of these tracks are natural casts of pentadactyl to tridactyl footprints with digits connected by arched structures. The digits are short with deep scratch marks oriented ante− riorly. The Asturian tracks show a high degree of morphological similarity to other specimens previously described as possible turtle tracks. Observations from extant turtle trackways show some surprising similarities with the fossil mate− rial. The tracks are here interpreted as having been made by turtles partially buoyed by water or by turtles walking in a slightly wet subaerial environment.