Los Angeles, California – A groundbreaking discovery has been made by researchers on two continents that are over 3,700 miles apart. Footprints of dinosaurs were found in Brazil and Cameroon, hinting at the possibility that these ancient creatures once roamed from Africa to South America when the two continents were connected. The footprints, numbering more than 260, date back to the Early Cretaceous period. This remarkable find sheds light on the movements of species across the former supercontinent Gondwanan, serving as a geographical bridge before the continents drifted apart to form the south Atlantic Ocean.
The study, conducted by the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, highlighted how the footprints in Brazil’s Borborema region and Cameroon’s Koum Basin offer a glimpse into prehistoric times. These footprints, some exhibiting similar shapes and geological contexts, suggest a fascinating connection between Africa and South America that allowed for the potential migration of animals across this land bridge. The images shared in the study depicted identical footprints formed on thin layers of sandstone, revealing a shared history between these distant regions.
Leading paleontologist Louis L. Jacobs from Southern Methodist University pointed out the significance of these findings. Not only do the footprints give insight into dinosaur behavior during the Early Cretaceous period, but they also indicate a close connection between continents that were once part of the same landmass. The study’s calculations of hip height, speed range, and body mass for each type of footprint further solidify the hypothesis that these tracks were made by similar dinosaur species, primarily characterized by their three-toed structure and hollow bones.
In addition to the footprints, researchers uncovered geological features like half-graben basins, evidence of Earth’s crust shifting and forming rifts. These basins contained sediments from rivers and lakes, preserving fossil pollen that dates back approximately 120 million years. The discoveries in Brazil and Cameroon offer a glimpse into the ancient past, highlighting the dynamic changes that occurred as tectonic plates shifted, land masses separated, and new oceans formed.
Gondwana, the supercontinent that once comprised South America, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica, played a pivotal role in shaping the planet’s geography over millions of years. The separation of Africa and South America around 140 million years ago led to the emergence of rifts along pre-existing fault lines, paving the way for the south Atlantic Ocean to fill the void between the newly formed continents. This geological evolution, as seen through the lens of dinosaur footprints, provides a window into Earth’s ever-changing landscape and the interconnectedness of its diverse ecosystems.