Large-sized pentadactyl carnivore footprints from the early Miocene fossil track site at Ipolytarnóc (Hungary): 3D data presentation and ichnotaxonomical revision

Ipolytarnóc is one of the most important Cenozoic fossil trackway sites in Europe. Most of the discovered footprints were investigated in 1985; however, a considerable period has elapsed since those investigations, and during that time significant advances have been made in the field of 3D imaging. Given this fact, the present study was undertaken to carry out a new analysis of the Ipolytarnóc fossil tracks, with a view to present possible revisions of current knowledge. In line with this, detailed ichnotaxonomical analyses were conducted on two large-sized pentadactyl footprint types using high-quality 3D models. As a result of the investigations presented in this paper, the largest pentadactyl footprint-type (previously defined as Bestiopeda maxima) was reclassified under the Platykopus ichnogenus based on new materials and their 3D models. The P. maxima footprints are believed to represent those of large-sized Amphicyonidae. Thorough ichnotaxonomical analyses were performed on other pentadactyl fossil tracks which had been attributed to Carnivoripeda nogradensis. The aim of the analyses was to suggest an extension of the morphological characters of these ichnospecies. In contrast to the previously suggested Nimravidae origin, we rather suggest that the C. nogradensis footprints belong to a mustelid-like carnivore based on its footprint morphology.