Footprint type
Grallator
Grallator is a footprint type: the name is for the fossil footprints themselves. The animal that made them is not known for certain. Its footprints are found in rocks 237–100.5 million years old in 15 countries, most often the United States and China.
Confidence labels are switched off. Facts with low confidence, or where sources disagree, still carry a small dot: tap it for the reason.
At a glance
Data as of 12 October 2026- Named by
- Hitchcock 1858
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Described in
- E. Hitchcock (1858). Ichnology of New England. A Report on the Sandstone of the Connecticut Valley, Especially its Fossil Footmarks, Made to the Government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts: xii–214. Read it
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; its author and year match the naming authority (Hitchcock 1858).Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. The publication the Paleobiology Database gives as the authority for this genus name, usually the one that first named and described it.
- Dated to
- 250.8–161.5 million years ago
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Omnisaura calculation237–100.5 million years ago, from its dated fossil recordsmedium
medium: Omnisaura's calculation from 370 confirmed PBDB records.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Found in
- 15, including Lesotho, Argentina, Canada and China
mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.Show all 15, each with its confidence
ArgentinaCanadamedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Chinamedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (10 records).Francemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (27 records).Germanymedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (22 records).Lesothomedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Moroccomedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (26 records).Polandmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).South Africamedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).United Kingdommedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).United Statesmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (6 records).Algeriamedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (254 records).Australialow
low: Only one PBDB record.Brazillow
low: Only one PBDB record.Indialow
low: Only one PBDB record.low
low: Only one PBDB record.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: Union of all sources (ISO 3166).
- Rock formations
- 84, including Passaic, Portland Formation, Wingate Sandstone and East Berlin
mixed
mixed: Levels differ between entries; each has its own.Show all 84, each with its confidence
ChinleClarensmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Dolomitiquemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (14 records).Dongdaqiaomedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).East Berlinmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Elliot Formationmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (30 records).Gettysburgmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (13 records).Grès et Argilites barioléesmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (5 records).Grès supérieurs et Argiles associésmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Grès supérieurs et Argilites barioléesmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Jianchuanmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Kayentamedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Kayenta/Navajo Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (6 records).Lockatongmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Longwangzhuangmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).McCoy Brookmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Midlandmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (8 records).Moenavemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Moltenomedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (9 records).Navajo Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Navajo-Nugget Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (13 records).Nugget Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (6 records).Passaicmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Popo Agiemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (36 records).Portland Formationmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Redondamedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (68 records).Rock Pointmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Sheep Pen Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Timezgadiouinemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (5 records).Towacomedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Tuchengzimedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Turners Fallsmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (7 records).Valtos Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (8 records).Wangjiashanmedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (4 records).Wingate Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (3 records).Xintiangoumedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (19 records).Zagajemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Aztec Sandstonemedium
medium: Only PBDB records it (2 records).Bluewater Creeklow
low: Only one PBDB record.Boontonlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Bull Runlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Calcaire Nankinlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Calcaires à Stipiteslow
low: Only one PBDB record.Casslow
low: Only one PBDB record.Chigniklow
low: Only one PBDB record.Cow Branchlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Dolomiticlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Dry Forklow
low: Only one PBDB record.Drzewicalow
low: Only one PBDB record.Entrada Sandstonelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Etjolow
low: Only one PBDB record.Fengjiahelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Fleming Fjordlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Houchenglow
low: Only one PBDB record.Huincullow
low: Only one PBDB record.Jiaguanlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Jinjulow
low: Only one PBDB record.Jiufotanglow
low: Only one PBDB record.La Matildelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Lathilow
low: Only one PBDB record.Lesotholow
low: Only one PBDB record.Manassas Sandstonelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Mecsek Coallow
low: Only one PBDB record.Mesa Rica Sandstonelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Middle Keuperlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Moenkopilow
low: Only one PBDB record.Monte Zugnalow
low: Only one PBDB record.Montemarcellolow
low: Only one PBDB record.Przysuchalow
low: Only one PBDB record.Quarziti di Monte Serralow
low: Only one PBDB record.Razorback Bedslow
low: Only one PBDB record.Shaximiaolow
low: Only one PBDB record.Sousalow
low: Only one PBDB record.Stocktonlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Summervillelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Süntellow
low: Only one PBDB record.Tioutlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Travenanzeslow
low: Only one PBDB record.Wingate Sandstone/Kayentalow
low: Only one PBDB record.Wolfvillelow
low: Only one PBDB record.Wolfville/Blomidonlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Xiaobalow
low: Only one PBDB record.Yananlow
low: Only one PBDB record.Yixianlow
low: Only one PBDB record.low
low: Only one PBDB record.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: Canonical names, automatic and editor-approved matches applied.
- Footprint family
- Grallatoridae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Parent group
- Grallatoridae
medium
medium: Only PBDB gives this; nothing contradicts it.Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database. How it was chosen: PBDB leads.
- Known from
- Footprints and traces
Sources
Given by: Paleobiology Database (what the name was based on).
- Made by
- Not known for certain. Footprints rarely show which animal made them.
Sources: Paleobiology Database (CC BY 4.0), Natural History Museum Data Portal (CC0 1.0), Wikidata (CC0 1.0)Confidence levels and gaps are Omnisaura's own assessment.
Gaps are answers
What isn't known yet
- The animal that made them: not known for certain, as for most footprint types.
- Type species: no source we use gives it yet.
- Order: no source we use gives it yet.
- Common names: no source we use gives it yet.
- What it was named after: no source we use gives it yet.
- Held back: 55 fossil records left out: identified only tentatively (for example "cf." or "?").
- Held back: 4 fossil records left out: identified as a related genus rather than this one.
- Resting on one source: 4 facts come from a single source with nothing against them (rated medium): authority (PBDB); parent group (PBDB); family (PBDB); age (headline) (PBDB).
Size, diet and behaviour aren't covered yet. Omnisaura leaves them out rather than guess.
Where sources disagree
None open. Where our sources overlap, they agree on everything shown here.
Did it meet…?
?
No. Grallator had gone at least 16.9 million years before Tyrannosaurus appears in the fossil record.
Going by the ages and rock formations of their dated fossils, as on the map. Compare their fossil sites on the map.
Found in the same rocks
Genera and other fossil types from the same formations, from rocks of the same age.
EubrontesAnomoepusMassospondylusAnchisauripusKayentapusOtozoumDilophosauripusEosauropusArgoidesPlatypternaEvazoumSyntarsusPlectropternaSauropusBrontopodusLesothosaurusand 117 more
Same family
Other genera in Grallatoridae with a full profile.
Credits
Where this page comes from
- Paleobiology DatabaseCC BY 4.0 · fossil records, ages, classification
- Natural History Museum Data PortalCC0 1.0 · catalogued specimens
- WikidataCC0 1.0 · names and identifiers
- OmnisauraOmnisaura editorial · confidence levels and gaps
- PaleoMAP PaleoCoastlines (Kocsis and Scotese 2021)CC BY 4.0 · ancient coastlines on the small map
- Natural EarthPublic domain · today's coastlines
Pictures linked from this page are credited beside each one, with their own licences; the full list is in the JSON download.