Dinosaur Tracksite - Altamura

Dinosaur tracksite - Altamura
Nation: Italy
Region: Puglia
Province: Bari
Municipality: Altamura
Locality: Pontrelli

Altamura (Bari) – A site that is particularly rich in dinosaur tracks in the "Avanpaese apulo".
The imprints have fossilized on a plane layer of the Altamura limestone. Age: Lower Santonian?

The site consists in a single surface with dinosaur tracks emerging from a quarry called Cava d'Anna, in the Municipality of Altamura. It is considered one of the most important deposits of this type and it is spectacular and unique in the world due to the high number of single imprints (about 30,000) and tracks preserved on a single surface covering 15,000 sq/m. The formation of Altamura Limestone where the tracks have been identified, with a depth of about 50 metres placed in platform and/or placed in subtidal or intertidal plain environments, is well-layered with a level parallel inclination.  It is typical of the Cretaceous period of the "Avampaese Apulo". In particular, the age of the track can be referred to the Santonian.

Point of interest: vast area with over 30,000 imprints and tracks, unique specimen of the Cretaceous in the Mediterranean area

Constraints: protected area according to Legislative Decree No. 490 dated 29/10/1999 (paleontological constraint)

Deterioration risk: medium-high

Bibliography:

NICOSIA U., MARINO M., MARIOTTI N., MURARO C., PANIGUTTI S., PETTI F.M., & SACCHI E. (2000a) - The late Cretaceous dinosaur tracksite near Altamura (Bari, Southern Italy). I - Geological framework. Geol. Romana, v. 35 (1999): 231-236, Roma.

NICOSIA U., MARINO M., MARIOTTI N., MURARO C., PANIGUTTI S., PETTI F.M., & SACCHI E. (2000b) - The late Cretaceous dinosaur tracksite near Altamura (Bari, Southern Italy). II - Apulosauripus federicianus new ichogen. and new ichnosp. Geol. Romana, v. 35 (1999): 237-247.

AA.VV (1999) - Puglia e Monte Vulture. Guide Geologiche e regionali a cura della Società geologica Italiana, 8, BE-MA ed. 287 pp.

ANDREASSI G., CLAPS M., SARTI M., NICOSIA U., VENTURO D. (1999) - The late Cretaceous dinosaur tracksite near Altamura (Bari) Southern Italy. Atti convegno FIST 1999.