Fossil footprints and what they mean for hominin paleobiology. Issue 1 (12th October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hatala, Kevin G.; Roach, Neil T.; Behrensmeyer, Anna K.
• Is Part Of: Evolutionary anthropology. Volume 32:Issue 1(2023)
• Page Start: 39
• Page End: 53
• Publication Date: 2022-10-12
• Subjects: footprints -- ichnology -- paleoanthropology -- trace fossils -- tracks; Human evolution -- Periodicals; Anthropology -- Periodicals; Physical anthropology -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Periodicals; Homme -- Évolution -- Périodiques; Anthropologie -- Périodiques; Écologie humaine -- Périodiques; 599.905
• DOI: 10.1002/evan.21963
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1060-1538

Abstract

Abstract: Hominin footprints have not traditionally played prominent roles in paleoanthropological studies, aside from the famous 3.66 Ma footprints discovered at Laetoli, Tanzania in the late 1970s. This contrasts with the importance of trace fossils (ichnology) in the broader field of paleontology. Lack of attention to hominin footprints can probably be explained by perceptions that these are exceptionally rare and "curiosities" rather than sources of data that yield insights on par with skeletal fossils or artifacts. In recent years, however, discoveries of hominin footprints have surged in frequency, shining important new light on anatomy, locomotion, behaviors, and environments from a wide variety of times and places. Here, we discuss why these data are often overlooked and consider whether they are as "rare" as previously assumed. We review new ways footprint data are being used to address questions about hominin paleobiology, and we outline key opportunities for future research in hominin ichnology.