<i>Tracheria troyana</i> (Krapovickas and Nasif, 2011): Redefinition, Environmental Distribution, and Heritage Conservation

The South American caviomorph ichnogenus <i>Tracheria troyana</i> is reevaluated here based on recently discovered specimens that allow a more thorough investigation of footprint taphonomy and ichnotaxonomy. The footprints include detailed autopodium morphology and more complete gait patterns than previously reported. The redefinition of <i>T. troyana</i> involves key aspects as digit impressions of the <i>manus</i> asymmetrically arranged and digit V being the shortest and at times do not print. It generally lacks metacarpal pads, resulting in almost digitigrade impressions and regularly preserved as tridactyl footprints. In the <i>pes</i> imprints, digits have a symmetrical arrangement. Phalangeal and metapodial pad impressions are preserved, occasionally showing the presence of two heel pads. Trackways denote a marked overstep in which the <i>pes</i> impressions are placed in front of the <i>manus</i>. New data about <i>T. troyana</i> environmental distribution shows that typically characterizes overbank facies of anastomosing and meandering fluvial systems, which may be reflecting a habitat preference the producer. Here, we also present new digitized 3D images of the original type material of <i>T. troyana</i>, in order to preserve these materials, which were previously only available for viewing in the field.