Abstract This study presents an ichnotaxonomical assessment of bird footprints from a coastal plain setting in the Eocene lower to middle Aspelintoppen Formation in Brongniartfjellet and Storvola, Svalbard. These footprints are unique evidence for Paleogene birds from Svalbard and the second evidence of Paleogene avifauna of the Arctic (along with scarce fossil remains from Ellesmere Island). The analyzed footprints are assigned to six ichnotaxa belonging to three ichnofamilies: Aquatilavipes isp., avian footprint morphotype A and B (ichnofamily Avipedidae); Gruipeda cf. G. abeli, Gruipeda cf. G. dominguensis (ichnofamily Gruipedidae); and Gyeongsangornipes isp. (ichnofamily unknown). Associated invertebrate ichnofossils include Helminthoidichnites tenuis, Cochlichnus anguineus, and Helminthopsis isp. The avian footprints reflect small, medium-sized and rare large birds that can be morphologically compared to those of modern relatives including crane, heron, plover, moorhen, gallinule, oystercatcher and curlew. It is also proposed that in situ sets of shorebird footprints showing a preferred orientation, not composing trackways and showing overprinting, can be used as an indicator of the position and orientation of the shoreline.

中文翻译：

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斯瓦尔巴群岛始新世沿海平原的鸟类多样性和行为：地质学证据

摘要 本研究对斯瓦尔巴群岛 Brongniartfjellet 和 Storvola 始新世下至中 Aspelintoppen 组的沿海平原环境中的鸟类足迹进行了鱼类分类学评估。这些脚印是斯瓦尔巴群岛古近纪鸟类的独特证据，也是北极古近纪鸟类的第二个证据（以及来自埃尔斯米尔岛的稀有化石遗迹）。分析的足迹被分配到属于三个鱼科的六个鱼纲：Aquatilavipes isp.，鸟类足迹形态 A 和 B（鱼科 Avipedidae）；Gruipeda 参见。G. abeli，Gruipeda 参见。G. dominguensis (ichnofamily Gruipedidae); 和 Gyeongsangornipes isp。（未知家族）。相关的无脊椎动物鱼化石包括 Helminthoidichnites tenuis、Cochlichnus anguineus 和 Helminthopsis isp。鸟的脚印反射小，中型和稀有大型鸟类，在形态上可以与现代近亲鸟类相比较，包括鹤、苍鹭、鸻、鸬鹚、鸡、牡蛎和鹬。还建议将显示首选方向的原位滨鸟足迹集，不构成轨迹并显示叠印，可用作海岸线位置和方向的指示器。