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| Jinjuichnus procerus and tetrapod trackmakers. The neoazhdarchian trackmaker is following the small vertebrate. Jung, Kim, Xing & Choi, 2026 illustration created by Jun Seung Yi. |
Abstract
Pterosaurs were important components of Mesozoic ecosystems, occupying diverse ecological niches from the Late Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous. Among them, neoazhdarchians have been hypothesized as terrestrial carnivorous based on anatomical and functional evidence, yet direct indications of predation on land have remained elusive. Here we report Jinjuichnus procerus ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., a new pterosaur track discovered in the Jinju Formation of South Korea. The track, characterized by a compact and long metatarsus in its pedal configuration, is consistent with neoazhdarchian pterosaurs. The trackway is preserved in close association with a small tetrapod trackway that exhibits abrupt changes in direction and increased stride length. This association provides the potential ichnological evidence of terrestrial vertebrate interaction by a pterosaur. Nonetheless, an alternative interpretation of the two trackways remains possible, making it difficult to confirm any direct interaction between the trackmakers. The paired trackways offer insight into the factors to consider when evaluating potential interactions with the trackmaker. While scenarios such as predation remain ambiguous, they nonetheless highlight the interpretive complexity inherent in assessing behavioral associations preserved in trackway assemblages.
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| Life reconstruction drawing of Jinjuichnus procerus and tetrapod trackmakers. The neoazhdarchian trackmaker is following the small vertebrate. The illustration in this figure was created by Jun Seung Yi. Reproduced with permission from the copyright holder and published under CC BY 4.0 license. |
Systematic ichnology
Pterosauria Kaup 1834.
Pterodactyloidea Plieninger, 1901.
Ichnofamily Agadirichnidae Masrour et al., 2018.
Ichnogenus Junjuichnus ichnogen. nov.
Etymology – The generic name Jinjuichnus combines Jinju, the location where the specimen was found, with Greek ichnus (ἴχνος), meaning “track.”
Ichnospecies Jinjuichnus procerus ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov.
Etymology. The specific name procerus is a Latin adjective meaning “extended” or “elongated,” describing the notably elongated manus impressions.
Conclusion:
A new pterosaur ichnotaxon, Jinjuichnus procerus et ichnogen. et ichnosp. nov., is described from the Lower Cretaceous Jinju Formation of South Korea. This trackway is characterized by a large size, highly elongated digit III, a blunt digit I, and a wide manus divarication angle, features that distinguish it from previously reported pterosaur ichnotaxa. Based on pedal morphology and comparative analysis, the trackmaker is most plausibly attributed to a neoazhdarchian pterosaur that inhabited the Korean Peninsula during the Early Cretaceous.
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Jongyun Jung, Kyung Soo Kim, Lida Xing and Byung-Do Choi. 2026. New large Pterosaur Tracks from Korea and their implications on terrestrial behavior. Scientific Reports. 16: 12363. DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-48019-y [16 April 2026]
