Vertebrate ichnites from the Boulder Creek Formation (Lower Cretaceous: middle to ?upper Albian) of northeastern British Columbia, with a description of a new avian ichnotaxon, Paxavipes babcockensis ichnogen. et isp. nov.

This is the first detailed report of vertebrate tracks from alluvial plain deposits of the Boulder Creek Formation (Lower Cretaceous: middle to ?upper Albian) from outcrop exposures in northeastern British Columbia. Several in situ dinosaur tracks observed in vertical section are described, as well as the recovery and description of an isolated track slab discovered in the Boulder Gardens recreation area south of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. The vertebrate ichnites consist of three small tridactyl theropod dinosaur prints, one tetradactyl ornithopod print, and 72 small tridactyl tracks of avian affinity which are described as a new ichnotaxon herein. The avian prints are small (under 30 mm length) and are characterised by a large divarication between digits II and III and comparatively lesser divarication between digits III and IV. The pace and stride are short and the pace angulation is high. The tracks are similar to those produced by extant shorebirds and the track-maker likely occupied a similar niche. The avian prints are described herein as a new ichnotaxon, Paxavipes babcockensis ichnogen. et isp. nov. Two of the theropod footprints are identified as Irenichnites gracilis, an ichnotaxon described in 1932 by C.M. Sternberg from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) Gething Formation near Hudson's Hope, British Columbia. One of the Irenichnites gracilis prints displays skin impressions associated with the digital pads of digit III and the metatarsal pad. This is the first record of skin impressions from prints of Irenichnites gracilis. The ornithopod track is partial and unidentifiable to a particular ichnotaxon, but displays skin impressions on the metatarsal pad and at the base of the second digit impression. The skin impressions from the ornithopod track differ from the Irenichnites gracilis skin impressions.