Avipeda Vialov, 1965

Abbassi, Nasrollah, Salehi Tinooni, Mohammad, Ghorbani Dehnavi, Mahdi, Shakeri, Safoora & Eshaghi, Ali, 2024, Oligocene vertebrate footprints from the Lower Red Formation, Central Iran, Fossil Record 27 (2), pp. 265-287 : 265-287

Ichnogenus Avipeda Vialov, 1965

Type ichnospecies.

Avipeda phoenix Vialov, 1965 .

Revised diagnosis.

Avian footprints of small size (footprint length <30 mm), showing three short, thick digits, with distinct claws. Length of central digit ( III) less than 25 % greater than that of the lateral digits. Total interdigital span 95 ° or more. Digits closely convergent or united proximally; webbing lacking or limited to the most proximal part of the interdigital angles (modified from Sarjeant and Langston 1994).

Discussion.

At first, Avipeda was the general name for tridactyl unwebbed bird footprints which was proposed by Vialov (1965). Later, varieties of bird footprints were considered as ichnospecies of Avipeda with different size or morphologies showing similarities to several existing ichnogenera. Thus, Sarjeant and Langston (1994) emended the diagnosis and designated Avipeda phoenix ( Vialov 1965) as the type ichnospecies.