A groundbreaking discovery has unfolded in the heart of Brazil, revealing an enigmatic chapter of our planet’s prehistoric past. Unearthed from the sands of Araraquara city, an extraordinary set of dinosaur footprints, carefully studied and analyzed, led scientists to unveil a brand-new dinosaur species – Farlowichnus rapidus.
The narrative begins in the 1980s within Brazil’s expansive Botucatu Formation, where Italian priest and palaeontologist Giuseppe Leonardi stumbled upon a series of unique dinosaur footprints, later termed “trackways.” These fossilized imprints, etched into ancient sandstones, hinted at the existence of an unidentified dinosaur species.
Driven by an insatiable curiosity, Leonardi meticulously preserved and documented these tracks, entrusting them to Brazil’s Museum of Earth Sciences in 1984. Years of meticulous analysis and comparison against existing data revealed a dinosaur unlike any other known species. The distinct features, long slender toes and a wide stride, painted a portrait of an agile, desert-dwelling dinosaur.
In 2023, a team led by Leonardi published a groundbreaking study in the Cretaceous Research journal, officially christening the new species Farlowichnus rapidus, signifying “Fast Farlow’s track.” This small, speedy carnivore stood about 60-90 cm tall, akin to a modern seriema bird.
The discovery underscores the significance of preserving fossil trackways, offering invaluable insights into ancient biodiversity. These footprints serve as silent testaments to the extraordinary adaptations and resilience of life in Earth’s ancient epochs.
