A Digital Analysis of the ‘Phoenix Trackway’ at the Hanxi Cretaceous Dinosaur Tracksite, China

Long dinosaur trackways provide valuable records of trackmaker behaviour, yet their study is often hindered by logistical challenges in documentation and analysis. This study addresses these limitations by employing digital methodologies to re-analyse the Lower Cretaceous HX-T3 theropod trackway, originally mapped in 2015. At nearly 70 m in length, this is the longest documented theropod trackway in China. Using digital mapping, 81 footprints were examined, revealing a consistent southward orientation between 163° and 187° azimuth, a trackway width of 0.008 to 0.300 m, and pace and stride lengths ranging from 0.707 to 1.176 m and 1.408 to 2.043 m, respectively. A potential trackmaker, Yutyrannus, was used to estimate a hip height of 1.13 m in a bent-legged stance, with relative stride values indicating a consistent walking gait at a median speed of 5.3 km/h. A digital life reconstruction animated in a bent-legged stance allowed the translation of ichnological data into a real-time reconstruction of trackmaker locomotion, providing dynamic insight into behavioural movement and avoiding unrealistic limb dislocations associated with straight-leg models. This study highlights the efficacy of digital methods in overcoming field-based limitations, integrating trace and body fossil evidence to enhance previous research.