Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin (ISSN 0178 – 6288) . Number 117, September 2014, pp. 1-33. | Page 7

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tarsal bone or bones. The outhermost digits of the second type make a broad arc
with their base, giving the footprints the shape of an anchor; and in this type the
length of the central digit is as with the first 40 to 50% greater than that of the
outhermost digits (Avnimelech and Bervoets; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
The third type differs from the first and second in that the base of the digits is
almost straight. It is however, possible that this is only accidental, and can be
attributed to the mode of the tread. Several isolated tracks with digits of almost
equal length are totally different. The digits are splayed out at an angle of nearly
120 degrees; the external ones are bent out to form a smooth arc. These tracks are
probably of the fore-limb, which may explain their rarity. Tracks of different
times of passage are also distinguishable: the earlier are blurred, as they were
subsequently covered by a thin layer of new sediment (Avnimelech and
Bervoets; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
There are several 10-15 meter long rows of tracks which are made up of 15 to 20
footprints, and other shorter rows, only 3 to 4 meter long, consisting of no more
than 4 to 6. In general, the direction of the long rows of tracks which are more
prominent than the short ones - is from south to north or north to south, whereas
the direction of the shorter rows is commonly from northeast to southwest or
vice versa. Only few of the very shortest rows run approximately east-west or
west-east. In the area, it is possible to make out three long rows which trend
north-south, more than a dozen medium rows, and 4-5 short rows which run
east-west (Avnimelech and Bervoets; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).

Ornithomimosaurs:
Ornithomimosaurs ("Bird mimic lizards") or members of the clade
Ornithomimosauria are theropod dinosaurs, like Gallimimus, which bore a
superficial resemblance to modern ostriches. They were fast, fleet-footed,
omnivorous and herbivorous dinosaurs from the Upper Cretaceous of Laurasia
(Asia, Europe and North America). The skull, sitting atop a long neck, was
relatively small with large eyes. Some primitive species had teeth, but most had
toothless beaks. The arms were long and slender and bore powerful claws. The
limbs were long and powerful, with a long foot and short, strong toes
terminating in hooflike claws. Ornithomimosaurs were probably among the
fastest of all dinosaurs. Like many other coelurosaurs, the ornithomimid hide
was probably feathered rather than scaly (Wikipedia; Khalaf-von Jaffa, 2006).
The group first appears in the Lower Cretaceous and persisted until the Upper
Cretaceous. They appear to be related to less derived coelurosaurian theropods
such as Compsognathus and tyrannosaurids. Primitive members of the group
include Pelecanimimus, Shenzhousaurus, Harpymimus, and probably the huge
Gazelle : The Palestinian Biological Bulletin – Number 117 – September 2014