Herein we apply a new approach to the study of theropod footprints with elongated metatarsal traces from the Upper Cretaceous (lower-middle Cenomanian) Sezze ichnosite (Latium, central Italy). In this study, we combine traditional methods and new tools (i.e., close-range digital photogrammetry, sUAS – small Unmanned Aerial System, Principal Component Analysis, and Cluster Analysis) to identify the osteological features of the foot mirrored in the traces, analyse the differential depth of impressions and reconstruct the anatomical structure of the trackmaker foot. The use of close-range photogrammetry allows us to improve the ichnological interpretation and analysis, focusing on anatomical features such as phalangeal pads and claw traces. A dataset consisting of measurements of 66 foot skeletons of theropods and the five best preserved elongated footprints with metatarsal trace was subjected to Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis, to investigate the morphospace occupied by the principal clade of theropods and find the most likely trackmaker among known taxa. The results indicate the clade of Oviraptorosauria as the more consistent producers for the Sezze theropod footprints, opening new questions about the clade dispersal and on the complex paleobiogeography of the Appenninic Carbonate Platform in the Late Cretaceous. The integrated multidisciplinary approach (high-resolution photogrammetry and morphometric analysis) confirms the utility of the new technological methodologies for the ichnological study.

在这里，我们采用一种新方法来研究来自上白垩纪（下中 Cenomanian）Sezze 硬质合金（Latium，意大利中部）的具有细长跖骨痕迹的兽脚亚目足迹。在这项研究中，我们结合传统方法和新工具（即近距离数字摄影测量、sUAS——小型无人机系统、主成分分析和聚类分析）来识别在痕迹中镜像的足部的骨学特征，分析不同的印模深度并重建 trackmaker 足部的解剖结构。近景摄影测量的使用使我们能够改进物种学解释和分析，重点关注指骨垫和爪痕迹等解剖特征。对一个由 66 英尺的兽脚亚目骨骼和五个保存最完好的具有跖骨痕迹的细长脚印组成的数据集进行主成分分析和聚类分析，以研究兽脚亚目主要进化枝占据的形态空间，并在已知的分类群。结果表明偷蛋龙的进化枝是 Sezze 兽脚亚目脚印更一致的生产者，这为关于进化枝扩散和晚白垩世亚平宁碳酸盐台地复杂古生物地理提出了新的问题。综合多学科方法（高分辨率摄影测量和形态测量分析）证实了新技术方法在鱼类学研究中的实用性。