THEROPOD AND SAUROPOD TRACK ASSEMBLAGES FROM THE LOWER CRETACEOUS HEKOU GROUP OF ZHONGPU, GANSU PROVINCE, CHINA

In recent years,several sites with fossil dinosaur bones and tracks were found in the Hekou Group of the Zhongpu area from the Lanzhou-Minhe Basin in northwestern China.Theropod and sauropod track assemblages from the Zhongpu area are relatively abundant,although poorly preserved in most cases.The Daxia tracksite revealsmoderately well preserved,small Asianopodus-like grallatorid tracks with weak mesaxony.The Lijiagou tracksite 1assemblage reveals larger theropod tracks and poorly defined tracks of large non-tridactyl quadrupeds,probably sauropods.The Lijiagou tracksite 2assemblage reveals multiple track-bearing levels indicating the activity of sauropods,possibly titanosaurs known by skeletal remains from the same unit.The assemblages are similar to others in the region and typical for the Lower Cretaceous of China,though less diverse than those of the large,well-exposed Hekou Group ichnofaunas from the Yanguoxia tracksites.