Uvaichnites riojana: A new crane-like bird ichnotaxon from the lower Miocene of La Rioja (Ebro Basin, Spain)

A new bird ichnotaxon found in Cenicero (La Rioja, Ebro Basin, Spain) is described here. The footprints are preserved in sandstone beds in a central-distal alluvial fringe with a mud-dominated floodplain, located in the transition unit between the Nájera and Haro formations. This level is positioned between the Y and Z local Agenian biozones (lower Miocene). The footprints were preliminarily studied in another work and considered as an indeterminate ichnotaxon. Uvaichnites riojana ichnogen. nov. and ichnosp. nov. is a tridactyl footprint characterized by a prominent central pad, very large to enormous sized, with unjointed toes at the proximal end. These features differ from Aquatilavipes, Aviadactyla, Avipeda, Ludicharadripodiscus, Fuscinapeda, and Ornithotarnocia of the Avipedidae morphofamily. U. riojana is considered to be similar to common crane (Grus grus) footprints in the Gruidae family. There are a few references about this family in the Iberian Peninsula and Balearic Islands and this find could confirm the presence of Gruidae since at least the lower Miocene.